# US 12,593,752 B2 · System and method for controlling harvesting implement operation of an agricultural harvester based on tilt actuator force

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- Number: US 12,593,752 B2
- Document ID: US12593752B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/922,257
- Filed: 2021-04-29
- Published: 2023-06-08
- Granted: 2026-04-07
- Earliest claimed: 2020-04-29
- Assignees: CNH Industrial America LLC
- Applicants: CNH Industrial America LLC
- Inventors: Kenneth Seiders; Jethro Martin
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12593752B2

## CPC

- A01D 41/141: {Automatic header control}
- A01D 41/1274: {for drives}
- A01D: HARVESTING; MOWING

## Abstract

A system for controlling harvesting implement operation of an agricultural harvester includes a fluid-driven actuator configured to adjust a position of a harvesting implement of the agricultural harvester relative to a feeder housing of the agricultural harvester. Additionally, the system includes a sensor provided in operative association with the fluid-driven actuator, with the sensor configured to capture data indicative of a parameter associated with a force acting on the fluid-driven actuator. Furthermore, the system includes a computing system configured to monitor the parameter relative to a predetermined minimum parameter value. Moreover, when the monitored parameter falls below the predetermined minimum parameter value, the computing system is configured to determine that the harvesting implement has contacted a field surface of a field across which the agricultural harvester is traveling.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system for controlling harvesting implement operation of an agricultural harvester, the system comprising:
fluid-driven lift actuator configured to adjust a position of a harvesting implement of agricultural harvester relative to a field surface;
a fluid-driven tilt actuator configured to adjust the position of the harvesting implement relative to a feeder housing of the agricultural harvester;
sensor provided in operative association with the fluid-driven tilt actuator, the sensor configured to capture data indicative of a pressure of fluid within the fluid-driven tilt actuator; and
a computing system communicatively coupled to the sensor, wherein the computing system:
monitors the pressure of fluid within the fluid-driven tilt actuator relative to a predetermined minimum pressure value;
when the monitored pressure of fluid within the fluid-driven tilt actuator falls below the predetermined minimum pressure value, monitors a time period across which the monitored pressure is below the predetermined minimum pressure value;
compares the monitored time period to a predetermined minimum time period; and
when the monitored time period exceeds the predetermined minimum time period, determines that the harvesting implement has contacted a field surface of a field across which the agricultural harvester is traveling.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprising:
a feeder face plate pivotably coupled to the feeder housing, the fluid-driven tilt actuator coupled between the feeder face plate and the feeder housing such that the fluid-driven tilt actuator is configured to pivot the feeder face plate relative to the feeder housing.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The system of claim 2, wherein the feeder face plate is configured to be coupled to the harvesting implement.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein, when it is determined that the harvesting implement has contacted the field surface, the computing system is initiates a control action associated with lifting the harvesting implement relative to the field surface.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The system of claim 4, wherein the control action comprises controlling an operation of the fluid-driven lift actuator to raise the forward end of the feeder relative to the field surface.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The system of claim 4, wherein the control action comprises providing a notification to an operator of the agricultural harvester indicating that the harvesting implement has contacted the field surface.

### Claim 7

An agricultural harvester, comprising:
a chassis;
a feeder housing pivotably coupled to the chassis;
a fluid-driven lift actuator coupled between the feeder housing and the chassis, the fluid-driven lift actuator configured to pivot the feeder housing relative to the chassis;
a feeder face plate adjustably coupled to the feeder housing;
a fluid-driven tilt actuator coupled between the feeder face plate and the feeder housing, the fluid-driven tilt actuator configured to pivot the feeder face plate relative to the feeder housing;
a sensor provided in operation association with the fluid-driven tilt actuator, the sensor configured to capture data indicative of a pressure of fluid within the fluid-driven tilt actuator; and
a computing system communicatively coupled to the sensor, wherein the computing system:
monitors the pressure of fluid within the fluid-driven tilt actuator relative to a predetermined minimum pressure value;
when the monitored pressure of fluid within the fluid-driven tilt actuator falls below the predetermined minimum pressure value, monitors a time period across which the monitored pressure is below the predetermined minimum pressure value;
compares the monitored time period to a predetermined minimum time period; and
when the monitored time period exceeds the predetermined minimum time period, determines that a harvesting implement of the agricultural harvester has contacted a field surface of a field across which the agricultural harvester is traveling.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The agricultural harvester of claim 7, wherein, when it is determined that the harvesting implement has contacted the field surface, the computing system initiates a control action associated with lifting the harvesting implement relative to the field surface.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The agricultural harvester of claim 8, wherein the harvesting implement is configured to be coupled to the feeder face plate.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The agricultural harvester of claim 7, wherein the control action comprises controlling an operation of the fluid-driven lift actuator to raise a forward end of the feeder housing relative to the chassis.

### Claim 11 (depends on 7)

The agricultural harvester of claim 7, wherein the control action comprises providing a notification to an operator of the agricultural harvester indicating that the harvesting implement has contacted the field surface.

### Claim 12

A method for controlling harvesting implement operation of an agricultural harvester, the agricultural harvester including a fluid-driven lift actuator configured to a position of a harvesting implement of the agricultural harvester relative to a field surface, the agricultural harvester further including a fluid-driven tilt actuator configured to adjust a position of the harvesting implement relative to a feeder housing of the agricultural harvester, the method comprising:
receiving, with a computing system including one or more computing devices, sensor data indicative of a pressure of fluid within the fluid-driven tilt actuator;
monitoring, with the computing system, the pressure of fluid within the fluid-driven tilt actuator relative to a predetermined minimum pressure value;
monitoring, with the computing system, a time period across which the monitored pressure is below the predetermined minimum parameter pressure value when the monitored pressure of fluid within the fluid-driven tilt actuator falls below the predetermined minimum pressure value;
comparing, with the computing system, the monitored time period to a predetermined minimum time period;
determining, with the computing system, that the harvesting implement has contacted a field surface of a field across which the agricultural harvester is traveling when the monitored time period exceeds the predetermined minimum time period; and
initiating, with the computing system, a control action associated with lifting the harvesting implement off the field surface based on the determination that the harvesting implement has contacted the field surface.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the control action comprises controlling an operation of the fluid-driven lift actuator to raise the forward end of the harvesting implement relative to the field surface.