Agricultural implement actuator sensor projection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9585298-B2
Application number	US-201414565854-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 10, 2014
Priority date	Dec 11, 2013
Publication date	Mar 7, 2017
Grant date	Mar 7, 2017

Abstract

A tillage implement spanning a lateral distance relative to a forward direction and having a plurality of carrier frames, each for supporting a plurality of soil engaging tools. A pivoting wheel assembly positions the carrier frames at a variable distance from the soil and an actuator is connected between the carrier frame and each support wheel assembly to vary the height of the carrier frame. The actuator has a sensor for generating a signal reflecting the displacement of the actuator. The sensor element is mounted in an adjustable sensor support and countersunk by the required clearance between the sensor element and encoded information on the output shaft so that the sensor support may be adjusted to abut the shaft and accurately position the sensor element.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An actuator for a tillage machine, said actuator comprising:
an actuator housing including a sensor mount base having an opening therein, the actuator housing forming a cylinder and a piston displaceable in that cylinder in response to hydraulic fluid;
an output shaft connected to said piston and extending outside of the actuator housing to provide a variable extension in response to hydraulic input on an opposite side of said piston;
said output shaft being encoded with information reflecting the displacement of the shaft from the actuator housing;
a sensor mounted in a sensor support and having an end face positioned for reading the encoded information;
wherein the sensor support is positioned in the opening in the sensor mount base and the sensor support surrounds the sensor with the sensor counter sunk in the sensor support and spaced away from the end face of the sensor support and the output shaft for sensing and reading the encoded information, said sensor support adjustably mounted in the sensor mount base of the actuator housing and having a concave end face for abutting the output shaft, and
wherein the concave end face of the sensor support is oriented to face a convex exterior curvature of the output shaft, the concave end face of the sensor configured to cooperatively contact and embrace a convex exterior curvature of the output shaft while spacing the sensor therefrom.

2. The actuator of claim 1 , in which the sensor support is cylindrical, and the sensor mount base is cylindrical and in axial alignment with the sensor support.

3. The actuator of claim 2 , in which the sensor support has external threads and said sensor mount base of the actuator housing has internal threads for receiving the sensor support to enable threading the sensor support into the sensor mount base of the actuator housing so that its end face abuts the output shaft.

4. The actuator of claim 3 , in which the adjustable mounting for the sensor support comprises a lock nut set for fixing the position of the sensor support.

5. The actuator of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is countersunk less than a millimeter from the end face of said sensor support.

6. The actuator of claim 1 , wherein the sensor support is formed from material that is wearable relative to said output shaft.

7. The actuator of claim 6 , wherein the sensor support is formed from plastic material.

8. An agricultural implement spanning a lateral distance relative to a forward direction over soil, said implement comprising:
a plurality of carrier frames, each for supporting a plurality of soil engaging tools;
at least one supporting element carried by each carrier frame for variably positioning said carrier frame relative to the soil;
an hydraulic actuator connected between each supporting element and said respective carrier frame for varying the position of the respective carrier frame relative to the soil, said actuator comprising:
a housing forming an internal cylinder and a piston displaceable in the cylinder in response to hydraulic input, the housing including a sensor mount base having an opening therein;
an output shaft connected to the piston and extending outside of the housing to connect between the carrier frame and the supporting element to vary the position of the carrier frame, said output shaft being encoded with information reflecting the displacement of the output shaft relative to the housing; and
a sensor mounted in a sensor support and having an end face positioned for sensing and reading the encoded information;

wherein the sensor support is positioned in the opening in the sensor mount base and the sensor support surrounds the sensor with the sensor counter sunk in the sensor support and spaced away from the end face of the sensor support and the output shaft for sensing and reading the encoded information, said sensor support adjustably mounted in the sensor mount base of the housing and having a concave end face for abutting the output shaft, and
wherein the concave end face of the sensor support is oriented to face a convex exterior curvature of the output shaft, the concave end face of the sensor configured to cooperatively contact and embrace a convex exterior curvature of the output shaft while spacing the sensor therefrom.

9. The agricultural implement of claim 8 , in which the sensor support is cylindrical and is received in the opening of the sensor mount base of the housing.

10. The agricultural implement of claim 9 , in which the sensor support has external threads and the sensor mount base has internal threads receiving said sensor support whereby the threading of the sensor support positions its end face relative to said output shaft.

11. The agricultural implement of claim 10 , in which the sensor support is mounted using a lock nut assembly acting against the sensor mount base.

12. The agricultural implement of claim 8 , in which the sensor element is countersunk less than a millimeter from the end face of said sensor support.

13. The agricultural implement of claim 8 , wherein the sensor support is formed from material that is wearable relative to said output shaft.

14. The agricultural implement of claim 13 , wherein the sensor support is formed from plastic material.

Assignees

• Cnh Ind Canada Ltd

Inventors

• Henry James W
• Wileniec Mark

Classifications

• A01B63/22 Primary

  operated by hydraulic or pneumatic means · CPC title