# US 12,004,448 B2 · Electrical power generation for a working implement mechanically coupled to a primary machine > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,004,448 B2 - Document ID: US12004448B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/216,370 - Filed: 2018-12-11 - Published: 2019-04-11 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2015-09-30 - Assignees: Deere & Company - Applicants: Deere & Company - Inventors: Colin D. Engel - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12004448B2 ## CPC - A01D 41/142: {Header drives} - A01D 41/12: Details of combines - A01D 41/145: {Header lifting devices} - A01D 47/00: Headers {for topping of plants, e.g. stalks with ears} - A01D 69/02: electric - A01D 69/025: {Electric hybrid systems} - A01D 75/00: Accessories for harvesters or mowers - B60L 50/10: using propulsion power supplied by engine-driven generators, e.g. generators driven by combustion engines - B60L 50/60: using power supplied by batteries (in combination with fuel cells B60L50/75) - H05B 45/37: Converter circuits - Y02T 10/70: Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries - A01D: HARVESTING; MOWING - B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES - H05B: ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## 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. ## Claims ### Claim 1 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. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The electrical power system of claim 1, wherein the electrical generator includes an alternator and wherein the power supply circuit is configured to charge the battery by transferring electrical power from the electrical generator to the battery. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The electrical power system of claim 1, wherein mechanical power from the primary machine causes a rotation of the drive shaft of the working implement, wherein rotation of the drive shaft of the working implement drives operation of the mechanical working element of the working implement, and wherein the electrical generator includes an alternator mechanically coupled to the drive shaft of the working implement and is configured to convert the rotation of the drive shaft into the electrical power. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The electrical power system of claim 3 wherein the power supply circuit includes an inverter configured to convert AC power from the alternator to DC power that is provided to the one or more electric devices mounted on the header. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The electrical power system of claim 1, wherein the electrical generator includes a dual-voltage electric generator, and wherein the power supply circuit is configured to provide electrical power to a first electric device at a first voltage and to provide electrical power to a second electric device at a second voltage. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The electrical power system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of LED lamps mounted on the working implement, wherein he power supply circuit is configured to transfer electrical power from the electrical generator to the one or more electric devices by transferring electrical power to each LED lamp of the plurality of LED lamps. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The electrical power system of claim 1, further comprising a working implement controller mounted on the working implement and coupled to the electrical generator to receive electrical power from the electrical generator, wherein the working implement controller is configured to control the operation of at least one electric device of the one or more electric devices. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The electrical power system of claim 1, wherein the working implement includes no mechanism for receiving electrical power from the primary machine. ### Claim 9 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. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The electrical power system of claim 9, wherein the electrical generator provides power to the battery to charge the battery. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The electrical power system of claim 9, wherein the working implement includes no mechanism for receiving electrical power from the primary machine vehicle. ### Claim 12 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. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The electrical power system of claim 12, wherein the electrical generator provides power to the battery to charge the battery. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The electrical power system of claim 12 wherein rotation of the header backshaft drives the operation of the mechanical working element, and wherein the electrical generator includes an alternator mechanically coupled to the header backshaft and is configured to convert rotation of the header backshaft into the electrical power. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The electrical power system of claim 12, wherein the header includes no mechanism for receiving electrical power from the combine harvester.