# US 12,004,452 B2 · Radar-transparent components for headers of agricultural vehicles and related systems > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,004,452 B2 - Document ID: US12004452B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/083,663 - Filed: 2020-10-29 - Published: 2022-05-05 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2020-10-29 - Assignees: CNH Industrial America LLC - Applicants: CNH Industrial America LLC - Inventors: Cory Douglas Hunt - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12004452B2 ## CPC - A01D 57/02: using reels - A01D 41/127: Control or measuring arrangements specially adapted for combines - A01D 41/14: Mowing tables - A01D 80/02: Tines; Attachment of tines - G01S 13/87: Combinations of radar systems, e.g. primary radar and secondary radar - G01S 13/88: Radar or analogous systems specially adapted for specific applications (electromagnetic prospecting or detecting of objects, e.g. near-field detection, G01V3/00) - G01S 13/08: Systems for measuring distance only (indirect measurement G01S13/46) - G01S 2013/93271: {in the front of the vehicles} - A01D: HARVESTING; MOWING - G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES ## Abstract A system for detecting one or more parameters associated with a header configured for use with an agricultural vehicle includes a header component and a radar sensor supported relative to the header component. The radar sensor has a field of view along which the radar sensor is configured to transmit radio waves for reflection off a surface. At least a portion of the header component is positioned within the field of view of the radar sensor or passes through the field of view of the radar sensor and is formed from one or more radar-transparent materials. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for detecting one or more parameters associated with headers configured for use with an agricultural vehicle, the system comprising: a header comprising a reel rotatable about a rotational axis, the reel comprising: a plurality of tine bar assemblies supported relative to the rotational axis of the reel, each tine bar assembly including a tine support member and plurality of tines coupled to the tine support member; a central support member extending along the rotational axis; and at least one radial support member coupled to the tine support member of each tine bar assembly and being configured to support the plurality of tine bar assemblies relative to the central support member; and a radar sensor supported by the header and having a field of view along which the radar sensor is configured to transmit radio waves for reflection off a surface; wherein: the tine support member of each tine bar assembly passes through the field of view of the radar sensor with rotation of the reel about the rotational axis; and the tine support member of each tine bar assembly is formed from one or more radar-transparent materials. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of tines and the tine support member of each tine bar assembly are both formed from the one or more radar-transparent materials. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the one or more radar-transparent materials comprises a first type of radar-transparent material and a second type of radar-transparent material, wherein the plurality of tines of each tine bar assembly are formed from the first type of radar-transparent material and the tine support member of each tine bar assembly is formed from the second type of radar-transparent material. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, wherein the first type of radar-transparent material comprises a radar-transparent polymer material and the second type of radar-transparent material comprises a radar-transparent composite material. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein at least one of the central support member or the at least one radial support member is also formed from the one or more radar-transparent materials. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one radial support member is also formed from the one or more radar-transparent materials. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the central support member is also formed from the one or more radar-transparent materials. ### Claim 8 A header configured for use with an agricultural vehicle, the header comprising: a frame; a reel rotatable relative to the frame about a rotational axis, the reel comprising: a plurality of tines; a plurality of tine-supporting components configured to support the plurality of tines relative to the rotational axis, the plurality of tine-supporting components comprising: a central support member extending along the rotational axis; a plurality of tine support members spaced apart radially from the central support member, with each tine support member being coupled to a subset of the plurality of tines; and at least one radial support member coupled to the plurality of tine support members and being configured to support the plurality of tine support members relative to the central support member; and a radar sensor supported by the header relative to the frame and having a field of view along which the radar sensor is configured to transmit radio waves for reflection off a surface; wherein: at least one of the plurality of tine-supporting components is formed from one or more radar-transparent materials; and the least one of the plurality of tine-supporting components is positioned within the field of view of the radar sensor or passes through the field of view of the radar sensor. ### Claim 9 A system for detecting one or more parameters associated with a header configured for use with an agricultural vehicle, the system comprising: a header component; and a radar sensor supported by the header component and having a field of view along which the radar sensor is configured to transmit radio waves for reflection off a surface; wherein: at least a portion of the header component is positioned within the field of view of the radar sensor or passes through the field of view of the radar sensor; and the at least a portion of the header component is formed from one or more radar-transparent materials. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein the header component comprises a reel rotatably about a rotational axis. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the reel comprises a plurality of tine bar assemblies supported relative to the rotational axis, with each tine bar assembly passing through the field of view of the radar sensor with rotation of the reel about the rotational axis, the plurality of tine bar assemblies being formed from the one or more radar-transparent materials. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the reel further comprises a central support member extending along the rotational axis, the central support member being formed from the one or more radar-transparent materials, wherein the central support member is at least partially positioned within the field of view of the radar sensor. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the reel further comprises at least one radial support member coupled to the plurality of tine bar assemblies and being configured to support the plurality of tine bar assemblies relative to the rotational axis, the at least one radial support member being formed from the one or more radar-transparent materials, wherein the central support member is at least partially positioned within the field of view of the radar sensor. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein each tine bar assembly comprises a tine support member and a plurality of tines coupled to the tine support member and wherein the one or more radar-transparent materials comprises a first type of radar-transparent material and a second type of radar-transparent material, the plurality of tines of each tine bar assembly being formed from the first type of radar-transparent material and the tine support member of each tine bar assembly being formed from the second type of radar-transparent material. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the first type of radar-transparent material comprises a radar-transparent polymer material and the second type of radar-transparent material comprises a radar-transparent composite material. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, further comprising a controller communicatively coupled to the radar sensor, the controller being configured to monitor the one or more parameters associated with the header based on data received from the radar sensor. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the controller is further configured to control an operation of one or more components associated with the header based on the one or more monitored parameters. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the one or more parameters comprises a height of the header relative to the ground. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the radar sensor comprises a header height sensor configured to provide data indicative of a height of a portion of the header relative to the ground. ### Claim 20 (depends on 8) The header of claim 8, wherein the radar sensor comprises a header height sensor configured to provide data indicative of a height of a portion of the header relative to the ground.