Remote hydraulic positioning of an implement stabilizer wheel

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10225983-B2
Application number	US-201715470068-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 27, 2017
Priority date	Mar 27, 2017
Publication date	Mar 12, 2019
Grant date	Mar 12, 2019

Abstract

A remotely positionable stabilizer wheel arrangement for a towable agricultural implement utilizes an electronic control unit that receives an input signal indicative of a desired position of the stabilizer wheel, and/or a desired depth of penetration of tillage tools operatively attached to the front and rear of the implement frame, to automatically control a hydraulic positioning cylinder of the remotely positionable stabilizer wheel arrangement to position and hold the stabilizer wheel at the desired position of the stabilizer wheel.

First claim

I claim:

1. A remotely positionable stabilizer wheel arrangement for an agricultural tillage implement having an implement frame supported above a ground surface by implement support wheels operatively connected to the frame by a depth control arrangement, the stabilizer wheel arrangement comprising:
a support strut having a first end thereof adapted for mounting a stabilizer wheel thereto;
a stabilizer wheel operatively attached to the first end of the strut and adapted for engaging the ground surface;
a support strut bracket adapted for attachment to the implement frame and for slidable engagement with a second end of the support strut;
a hydraulic cylinder liming a first end thereof operatively attached to the support strut, and a second end thereof operatively attached to the support strut bracket for extension and retraction of the strut with respect to the strut bracket by corresponding extension and retraction of the hydraulic cylinder to thereby lower and raise the stabilizer wheel in to and out of contact with the ground surface;
a position sensor operatively connected between the strut and the strut bracket for indicating a present linear position of the strut with respect to the strut bracket, and generating an electrical signal indicative of a present wheel position with respect to the strut bracket;
a hydraulic power source operatively connected to the hydraulic cylinder for controlling extension and retraction of the cylinder in response to a cylinder control electrical signal; and
an electronic control unit operatively connected to the position sensor and the hydraulic power source to receive the present position signal and a desired stabilizer wheel position input, and configured for providing the cylinder control electrical signal to the hydraulic power source, to thereby cause the hydraulic cylinder to move the stabilizer wheel to, and hold the stabilizer wheel at the desired stabilizer wheel position.

2. The remotely positionable stabilizer wheel arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the control unit selects a predetermined stabilizer wheel position corresponding to the desired stabilizer wheel position input and controls the hydraulic power source using the predetermined stabilizer wheel position.

3. The remotely positionable stabilizer wheel arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the control unit computes a computed desired stabilized wheel position corresponding to the desired stabilizer wheel position input and controls the hydraulic power source using the computed desired stabilizer wheel position.

4. The remotely positionable stabilizer wheel arrangement of claim 3 , wherein the desired stabilizer wheel input is an incremental adjustment to a previous desired stabilizer wheel position.

5. The remotely positionable stabilizer wheel arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the electronic control unit is further configured for receiving a desired depth electrical signal, and for computing a computed desired position of the stabilizer wheel and providing a cylinder control signal corresponding to the computed desired position of the stabilized wheel to the hydraulic power unit, to thereby cause the hydraulic cylinder to move the stabilizer wheel to, and hold the stabilizer wheel at the computed desired stabilizer wheel position.

6. The remotely positionable stabilizer wheel arrangement of claim 5 , wherein the control unit selects a predetermined stabilizer wheel position corresponding to the desired depth electrical signal, and controls the hydraulic power source using the selected predetermined stabilizer wheel position.

7. The remotely positionable stabilizer wheel arrangement of claim 5 , wherein the control unit computes a computed desired stabilized wheel position corresponding to the desired depth input and controls the hydraulic power source using the computed desired stabilizer wheel position.

8. The remotely positionable stabilizer wheel arrangement of claim 7 , wherein the desired depth input is an incremental adjustment to a previous desired depth of penetration.

9. A towable agricultural tillage implement adapted attachment to a towing vehicle and having an implement frame supported above a ground surface by implement support wheels operatively connected to the frame by a depth control arrangement to thereby control a depth of penetration below the ground surface of tillage tools attached to the frame, and one or more stabilizer wheel arrangements attached to the frame in a manner providing selective stabilizing support of the implement, wherein each of the one or more remotely positionable stabilizer wheel arrangements comprises;
a support strut having a first end thereof adapted for mounting a stabilizer wheel thereto;
a stabilizer wheel operatively attached to the first end of the strut and adapted for engaging the ground surface;
a support strut bracket adapted for attachment to the implement frame and for slidable engagement with a second end of the support strut;
a hydraulic cylinder having a first end thereof operatively attached to the support strut, and a second end thereof operatively attached to the support strut bracket for extension and retraction of the strut with respect to the strut bracket by corresponding extension and. retraction of the hydraulic cylinder to thereby lower and raise the stabilizer wheel in to and out of contact with the ground surface;
a position sensor operatively connected between the strut and the strut bracket for indicating a present linear position of the strut with respect to the strut bracket, and generating an electrical signal indicative of a present wheel position with respect to the strut bracket;
a hydraulic power source operatively connected to the hydraulic cylinder for controlling extension and retraction of the cylinder in response to a cylinder control electrical signal; and
an electronic control unit operatively connected to the position sensor and the hydraulic power, source to receive the present position signal and a desired stabilizer wheel, position input, and configured for providing the cylinder control electrical signal to the hydraulic power source, to thereby cause the hydraulic cylinder to move the stabilizer wheel to, and hold the stabilizer wheel at the desired stabilizer wheel position.

10. The agricultural tillage implement of claim 9 , wherein the implement includes a plurality of stabilizer wheel arrangements attached to the frame, and operatively connected to a common electronic control unit to be controlled thereby.

11. The agricultural tillage implement of claim 9 , wherein the implement includes a plurality of stabilizer wheel arrangements attached to the frame, and operatively connected to a common electronic control unit to be individually controlled thereby.

12. The agricultural tillage implement of claim 9 , wherein the implement includes a plurality of stabilizer wheel arrangements attached to the frame, and operatively connected to a common electronic control unit to be collectively controlled thereby.

13. The agricultural tillage implement of claim 9 , wherein the implement includes a plurality of stabilizer wheel arrangements attached to the frame, and operatively connected to a common electronic control unit and a common hydraulic power source to be collectively controlled thereby.

14. The agricultural tillage implement of claim 9 , wherein the implement includes a plurality of stabilizer wheel arrangements attached to the frame, and operatively connected to a common electronic control unit and a common hydraulic power source to be collectively controlled thereby.

15. The agricultural tillage implement of claim 10 , wher

Assignees

• Cnh Ind America Llc

Inventors

• Kovach Michael G

Classifications

• A01B63/22

  operated by hydraulic or pneumatic means · CPC title

• A01D67/005 Primary

  Arrangements of coupling devices · CPC title

• A01B63/008

  Vertical adjustment of tools (A01B63/10 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60T8/1708

  for lorries or tractor-trailer combinations · CPC title

• B60T8/17554

  specially adapted for enhancing stability around the vehicles longitudinal axle, i.e. roll-over prevention (road vehicle drive control systems for roll-over prevention otherwise than by controlling a particular sub-unit B60W30/04) · CPC title