System and method for regulating the flow of fluid supplied to actuators of an agricultural implement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10912245-B2
Application number	US-201816220974-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 14, 2018
Priority date	Dec 14, 2018
Publication date	Feb 9, 2021
Grant date	Feb 9, 2021

Abstract

In one aspect, a system for regulating the flow of fluid supplied to actuators of an agricultural implement may include a tool and a fluid-driven actuator configured to actuate the tool relative to a surface. The system may also include a pump configured to supply fluid to the fluid-driven actuator and a valve configured to control a flow of the fluid supplied to the fluid-driven actuator. Furthermore, the system may include a first sensor configured to detect a parameter indicative of a first pressure upstream of the valve and a second sensor configured to detect a parameter indicative of a second pressure downstream of the valve. Additionally, the system may include a controller communicatively coupled to the first and second sensors, with the controller configured to determine a pressure differential across the valve based on measurement signals received from the first and second sensors.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system for regulating the flow of fluid supplied to actuators of an agricultural implement, the system comprising:
a tool;
a fluid-driven actuator configured to actuate the tool relative to a surface;
a pump configured to supply fluid to the fluid-driven actuator;
a valve configured to control a flow of the fluid supplied to the fluid-driven actuator;
a first sensor configured to detect a parameter indicative of a first pressure upstream of the valve;
a second sensor configured to detect a parameter indicative of a second pressure downstream of the valve; and
a controller communicatively coupled to the first and second sensors, the controller configured to determine a pressure differential across the valve based on measurement signals received from the first and second sensors;
wherein the valve corresponds to a first valve, the system further comprising a second valve positioned upstream of the first valve, the second valve configured to control a flow of the fluid supplied to the first valve, the controller further configured to control an operation of the second valve based on the determined pressure differential.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein an operation of the pump is controlled based on the operation of the second valve.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control of the second valve based on the determined pressure differential overrides control of the second valve based on an operator input signal.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first valve is installed on the agricultural implement and the second valve is installed on a work vehicle configured to tow the agricultural implement.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first and second valves are installed on the agricultural implement.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to monitor the pressure differential relative to a threshold value and adjust an operational parameter of the second valve when the monitored pressure differential has exceeded or fallen below the threshold value.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to control the operation of the valve based on an input associated with a desired operating parameter associated with the tool.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the controller is configured to receive the input from an operator with the agricultural implement.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the pump is installed on a work vehicle configured to tow the agricultural implement.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is installed on the agricultural implement.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the tool comprises a basket assembly.

12. A method for regulating the flow of fluid supplied to actuators of an agricultural implement, the agricultural implement comprising a fluid-driven actuator configured to actuate a tool of the agricultural implement relative to a surface, a pump configured to supply fluid to the fluid-driven actuator, and a first valve configured to control a flow of the fluid supplied to the fluid-driven actuator, the method comprising:
controlling, with a computing device, an operation of the first valve based on an input associated with a desired operating parameter associated with the tool;
determining, with the computing device, a pressure differential between a first pressure upstream of the first valve and second pressure downstream of the first valve; and
controlling, with the computing device, an operation of a second valve of the agricultural implement based on the determined pressure differential, the second valve positioned upstream of the first valve and configured to control a flow of the fluid supplied by the pump to the first valve.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein an operation of the pump is controlled based on the operation of the second valve.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the control of the second valve based on the determined pressure differential overrides control of the second valve based on an operator input signal.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the first valve is installed on the agricultural implement and the second valve is installed on a work vehicle configured to tow the agricultural implement.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the first and second valves are installed on the agricultural implement.

17. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
monitoring, with the computing device, the pressure differential relative to a threshold value; and
adjusting, with the computing device, an operational parameter of the second valve when the monitored pressure differential has exceeded or fallen below the threshold value.

18. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
receiving, with the computing device, the input from an operator the agricultural implement.

19. The method of claim 12 , wherein the pump is installed on a work vehicle configured to tow the agricultural implement.

Assignees

• Cnh Ind America Llc

Inventors

• Stovall Christopher
• Freisleben Michael
• Wu Duqiang
• Endsley John C
• Glennon Michael
• Mckee Kevin D

Classifications

• A01B63/22

  operated by hydraulic or pneumatic means · CPC title

• A01B29/048 Primary

  Bar cage rollers · CPC title

• A01B49/027

  with a rotating, soil working support element, e.g. a roller · CPC title

• A01B63/10

  operated by hydraulic or pneumatic means · CPC title

• A01B63/112 Primary

  to control draught load, i.e. tractive force · CPC title