Work Lights for Grass Pickup Header Wind Guard
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The existing pickup assemblies for agricultural harvesters face difficulties in easily locating and removing unwanted objects, such as stones or metal, due to the obstruction of light when the wind guard is lifted for object removal, making it challenging for operators to inspect and remove these objects effectively, especially at night.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating at least one work light that illuminates the internal areas of the pickup assembly when the wind guard is in its lifted configuration, which can be activated by a lift sensor or a control algorithm, ensuring proper illumination for object removal and safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the wind guard is lifted to allow operator access for removing unwanted objects, then the operator can access the internal area to remove objects, but the light from the harvester is blocked making it difficult to locate and remove objects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces work lights as an intermediary light source to illuminate the internal pickup assembly area when the wind guard is lifted. These work lights compensate for the blockage of the harvester's main lighting, enabling the operator to see and remove unwanted objects effectively during nighttime operations.
2Productivity
If the wind guard remains in operational configuration, then the crop flow is properly guided, but the operator cannot easily access the internal area to remove unwanted objects
Solution Approach 1:
The wind guard is designed to be dynamically movable between an operational configuration (for normal crop processing) and a lifted configuration (for object removal). This dynamic positioning allows the system to switch between maintaining crop flow efficiency and providing operator access as needed.
3Ease of operation
If the wind guard is lifted for object removal, then the operator can reach into the pickup assembly, but the internal areas become difficult to inspect due to lack of illumination
Solution Approach 1:
The work lights are activated in advance when the wind guard is lifted, providing illumination before the operator needs to inspect or remove objects. This preliminary lighting action ensures that the internal area is properly illuminated as soon as access is granted, eliminating the visibility problem.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A pickup assembly (2) for an agricultural harvester (1) comprises a pickup assembly frame (200), a pickup unit (10) carried by the pickup assembly frame (200) and configured to pick up crop from a field, a feeding auger (11) configured to receive the crop from the pickup unit (10) and feed the crop towards a crop inlet of the agricultural harvester (1), and a wind guard assembly (220). The wind guard assembly (220) comprises a wind guard frame (225) and a wind guard lifting mechanism coupled to the pickup assembly frame (200) and the wind guard frame (225) and configured for lifting the wind guard frame (225) from an operational configuration to a lifted configuration. The pickup assembly (2) further comprises at least one work light (170), arranged to illuminate an internal area of the pickup assembly (2) underneath the wind guard frame (225) when the wind guard frame (225) is in the lifted configuration.