Current supply system for a team of vehicles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11660919-B2
Application number	US-202016810487-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 5, 2020
Priority date	Mar 18, 2019
Publication date	May 30, 2023
Grant date	May 30, 2023

Abstract

A current supply system of a team vehicle includes a towing vehicle operable in a cable-interconnected manner and an agricultural rear-mounted device coupled to the towing vehicle. The agricultural rear-mounted device has working equipment for performing a ground processing function. A base mast is allocated to the towing vehicle for producing a cable connection to a current supply interface of a first team vehicle that is travelling ahead, and an additional mast includes a further current supply interface allocated to the agricultural rear-mounted device for producing a further cable connection to a second team vehicle that is following. The additional mast is downstream of the working equipment of the agricultural rear-mounted device when viewed in a forward direction of travel of the team vehicle.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A current supply system of a team vehicle, comprising:
a towing vehicle operable in a cable-interconnected manner;
an agricultural rear-mounted device coupled to the towing vehicle, the agricultural rear-mounted device comprising working equipment for performing a ground processing function;
a base mast allocated to the towing vehicle for producing a cable connection to a current supply interface of a first team vehicle that is travelling ahead; and
an additional mast comprising a further current supply interface allocated to the agricultural rear-mounted device for producing a further cable connection to a second team vehicle that is following;
wherein the additional mast is downstream of the working equipment of the agricultural rear-mounted device when viewed in a forward direction of travel of the team vehicle.

2. The current supply system according to claim 1 , further comprising a rotatable winding drum located in an upper end region of the base mast so as to mount a carrier wire.

3. The current supply system according to claim 2 , wherein the carrier wire is used to guide an energy transmission cable or data transmission cable connected to the current supply interface of the first team vehicle.

4. The current supply system according to claim 2 , wherein the winding drum comprises a drum body for receiving the carrier wire.

5. The current supply system according to claim 4 , wherein the drum body is rotatable by actuating a motorized drive so as to reel in or reel out the carrier wire.

6. The current supply system according to claim 1 , wherein the agricultural rear-mounted device comprises an auxiliary axle adjustable between a lowered transporting position and a raised working position.

7. The current supply system according to claim 6 , wherein the auxiliary axle comprises at least one supporting wheel.

8. The current supply system according to claim 7 , wherein the additional mast is coupled to an adjusting mechanism of the auxiliary axle such that the additional mast is lowered or raised together with the auxiliary axle.

9. The current supply system according to claim 8 , wherein the adjusting mechanism is embodied in the form of a parallelogram guidance arrangement such that the additional mast maintains its spatial orientation when the auxiliary axle is lowered or raised.

10. The current supply system according to claim 1 , further comprising a guiding arrangement provided on the additional mast.

11. The current supply system according to claim 10 , wherein the guiding arrangement holds a carrier wire attached to the additional mast at a predetermined spacing with respect to constructive structures of the second team vehicle.

12. A team of vehicles, comprising:
a plurality of team vehicles including at least a first team vehicle and a second team vehicle, where the first team vehicle is travelling ahead and the second team vehicle is following;
a current supply system for networking the plurality of team vehicles, the current supply system comprising:
a towing vehicle operable in a cable-interconnected manner;
an agricultural rear-mounted device coupled to the towing vehicle, the agricultural rear-mounted device comprising working equipment for performing a ground processing function;
a base mast allocated to the towing vehicle for producing a cable connection to a current supply interface of the first team vehicle; and
an additional mast comprising a further current supply interface allocated to the agricultural rear-mounted device for producing a further cable connection to the second team vehicle that is following;
wherein the additional mast is downstream of the working equipment of the agricultural rear-mounted device when viewed in a forward direction of travel of the team vehicle.

13. The team of vehicles according to claim 12 , further comprising a rotatable winding drum located in an upper end region of the base mast so as to mount a carrier wire, wherein the carrier wire is used to guide an energy transmission cable or data transmission cable connected to the current supply interface of the first team vehicle.

14. The team of vehicles according to claim 13 , wherein:
the winding drum comprises a drum body for receiving the carrier wire;
the drum body is rotatable by actuating a motorized drive so as to reel in or reel out the carrier wire.

15. The team of vehicles according to claim 12 , wherein the agricultural rear-mounted device comprises an auxiliary axle adjustable between a lowered transporting position and a raised working position.

16. The team of vehicles according to claim 15 , wherein the auxiliary axle comprises at least one supporting wheel.

17. The team of vehicles according to claim 15 , wherein:
the additional mast is coupled to an adjusting mechanism of the auxiliary axle such that the additional mast is lowered or raised together with the auxiliary axle;
the adjusting mechanism is embodied in the form of a parallelogram guidance arrangement such that the additional mast maintains its spatial orientation when the auxiliary axle is lowered or raised.

18. The team of vehicles according to claim 12 , further comprising a guiding arrangement provided on the additional mast, wherein the guiding arrangement holds a carrier wire attached to the additional mast at a predetermined spacing with respect to constructive structures of the second team vehicle.

19. A current supply system of a team vehicle, comprising:
a towing vehicle operable in a cable-interconnected manner;
an agricultural rear-mounted device coupled to the towing vehicle, the agricultural rear-mounted device comprising working equipment for performing a ground processing function;
a base mast allocated to the towing vehicle for producing a cable connection to a current supply interface of a first team vehicle that is travelling ahead;
an additional mast comprising a further current supply interface allocated to the agricultural rear-mounted device for producing a further cable connection to a second team vehicle that is following; and
a rotatable winding drum located in an upper end region of the base mast so as to mount a carrier wire, the winding drum including a drum body for receiving the carrier wire;
wherein the additional mast is downstream of the working equipment of the agricultural rear-mounted device when viewed in a forward direction of travel of the team vehicle;
wherein the carrier wire is used to guide an energy transmission cable or data transmission cable connected to the current supply interface of the first team vehicle.

20. The current supply system according to claim 19 , further comprising an auxiliary axle of the agricultural rear-mounted device adjustable between a lowered transport position and a raised working position, the auxiliary axle including at least one supporting wheel;
wherein the additional mast is coupled to an adjusting mechanism of the auxiliary axle such that the additional mast is lowered or raised together with the auxiliary axle;
further wherein, the adjusting mechanism is formed as a parallelogram guidance arrangement such that the additional mast maintains its spatial orientation when the auxiliary axle is lowered or raised.

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Tarasinski Nicolai
• Kegel Volker
• Pfaffmann Simon
• Daubermann Julian
• De Moraes Boos Felipe

Classifications

• B60L9/00 Primary

  Electric propulsion with power supply external to the vehicle (electric propulsion for monorail vehicles, suspension vehicles or rack railways B60L13/00; in combination with batteries or fuel cells within the vehicle B60L50/53) · CPC title

• H02G11/003

  using gravity-loaded or spring-loaded loop · CPC title

• A01B76/00

  Parts, details or accessories of agricultural machines or implements, not provided for in groups A01B51/00 - A01B75/00 · CPC title

• B60L1/003

  to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors · CPC title

• B60D1/187

  characterised by the connection to the towing vehicle or to the trailer · CPC title