Agricultural implement having power assist wing wheels

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9706701-B2
Application number	US-201414547657-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 19, 2014
Priority date	Nov 19, 2014
Publication date	Jul 18, 2017
Grant date	Jul 18, 2017

Abstract

An agricultural planter which provides an improved method for extending and retracting the wing boom and which has improved maneuverability is disclosed. A drive member is provided that drives one or more of the wing wheels on the agricultural planter. The drive member may be, for example, a hydraulic motor or an electric motor. When a wing boom is extended or retracted between the transport position and the working position, a controller generates a command signal to the drive member to drive one or more of the wing wheels forward or reverse, thereby assisting the wing boom in retracting or extending the telescoping portion of the hitch assembly and in extending or retracting the booms. During operation, the controller may similarly generate a command to the drive member to drive one or more of the wing wheels either in forward or reverse according to the operation of the towing vehicle.

First claim

We claim:

1. An agricultural planter assembly configured to be pulled along a surface by a towing vehicle, comprising:
a hitch assembly having a first end, a second end, and a telescoping portion, wherein:
the first end is configured to be located proximate to the towing vehicle,
the second end is configured to be located distal from the towing vehicle, and
the telescoping portion is movable between an extended position and a retracted position;

at least one wing boom having a first end and a second end, each wing boom pivotally connected to the hitch assembly at the first end and movable between a working position and a transport position;
at least one draft link, each draft link connected between the hitch assembly and one of the wing booms;
at least one wing wheel mounted proximate to the second end of each wing boom and configured to engage the surface;
at least one drive member operatively coupled and providing a driving force to each wing wheel, wherein the drive member provides the driving force when the at least one wing boom is being moved between the working position and the transport position;
at least one hydraulic cylinder connected between the hitch assembly and one of the wing boom and the draft link, wherein each hydraulic cylinder is movable between a retracted position and an extended position and wherein movement of the hydraulic cylinder between the retracted position and the extended position causes, at least in part, the wing boom to move between the working position and the transport position; and
a controller configured to:
generate a first control signal to the at least one hydraulic cylinder to move the hydraulic cylinder between the retracted position and the extended position,
generate a second control signal to the drive member corresponding to a desired driving force, and
coordinate the first and second control signals such that the at least one hydraulic cylinder and the drive member operate in tandem to move the wing boom between the working position and the transport position,

wherein the drive member receives a command signal from the towing vehicle to provide the driving force when the at least one wing boom is in the working position, and
wherein the command signal is a speed signal corresponding to a speed of the towing vehicle, the agricultural planter assembly further comprising a speed sensor generating a signal corresponding to a speed of the wing wheel, wherein the drive member generates the driving force such that the speed of the wing wheel matches the speed of the towing vehicle.

2. The agricultural planter assembly of claim 1 wherein the drive member is a hydraulic motor.

3. The agricultural planter assembly of claim 1 , wherein the drive member is an electric motor and the agricultural planter assembly further comprises a motor drive configured to receive a command signal from the controller and configured to control rotation of the electric motor responsive to the command signal.

4. The agricultural planter assembly of claim 1 wherein the drive member is operable in a first mode to provide the desired driving force and in a second mode wherein each wing wheel to which the drive member provides the desired driving force is allowed to freewheel.

5. An agricultural planter assembly configured to be pulled along a surface by a towing vehicle, comprising:
a hitch assembly configured to removably couple the agricultural planter assembly to the towing vehicle;
at least one elongated boom having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is pivotally coupled to the hitch assembly and each elongated boom is movable between a working position and a transport position;
at least one wing wheel mounted to the second end of each elongated boom, each wing wheel configured to engage the surface;
a drive member operatively coupled and providing a driving force to each wing wheel;
at least one sensor configured to generate a signal corresponding to an operating parameter of one of the towing vehicle and the agricultural planter; and
a controller configured to receive the signal from the at least one sensor and to generate a reference signal for the drive member, wherein the reference signal corresponds to a desired driving force,
wherein the drive member provides the desired driving force to the wing wheel when the elongated boom is in the working position, and
the at least one sensor on the agricultural planter assembly generates a signal corresponding to a speed of the driven wing wheel on the agricultural planter assembly,
the controller is configured to receive a signal corresponding to a speed of the towing vehicle, and
the desired driving force generated by the controller is generated such that the speed of the wing wheel matches the speed of the towing vehicle.

6. The agricultural planter assembly of claim 5 , wherein:
the hitch assembly includes a telescoping portion movable between an extended position and a retracted position,
the telescoping portion moves between the extended position and the retracted position when the elongated boom moves between the transport position and the working position, and
the drive member provides the desired driving force to the wing wheel when the elongated boom is moved between the transport position and the working position.

7. The agricultural planter assembly of claim 6 further comprising at least one hydraulic cylinder connected between the hitch assembly and each elongated boom, wherein each hydraulic cylinder is movable between a retracted position and an extended position and wherein movement of the hydraulic cylinder between the retracted position and the extended position causes, at least in part, the corresponding elongated boom to move between the working position and the transport position; and
a controller configured to:
generate a first control signal to the at least one hydraulic cylinder to move the hydraulic cylinder between the retracted position and the extended position,
generate a second control signal to the drive member corresponding to the desired driving force, and
coordinate the first and second control signals such that the at least one hydraulic cylinder and the drive member operate in tandem to move the elongated boom between the working position and the transport position.

8. The agricultural planter assembly of claim 5 wherein the drive member is operable in a first mode to provide the desired driving force and in a second mode wherein the wing wheel to which the drive member provides the desired driving force is allowed to freewheel.

9. The agricultural planter assembly of claim 5 wherein:
the controller is configured to receive a wheel slip signal corresponding to a magnitude of slip of a driven wheel on the towing vehicle, and
the controller commands the drive member to provide the driving force when the wheel slip signal exceeds a predefined threshold.

10. In an agricultural planter assembly, configured to be pulled along a surface by a towing vehicle, the agricultural planter assembly having:
a hitch assembly configured to removably couple the agricultural planter assembly to the towing vehicle;
at least one elongated boom having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is pivotally coupled to the hitch assembly and each elongated boom is movable between a working position and a transport position;
at least one wing wheel mounted to the second end of each elongated boom, each wing wheel configured to engage the surface, the improvement comprising:
a drive member operatively coupled and providing a driving force to each wing wheel, wherein the drive member provides the desired driving force to the wing wheel when the elongated boom is in th

Assignees

• Cnh Ind America Llc

Inventors

• Prickel Marvin A
• Anderson Brian J

Classifications

• A01B73/065 Primary

  to a position essentially forward of the axis, in relation to the direction of travel · CPC title

• A01C7/208

  Chassis; Coupling means to a tractor or the like; Lifting means; Side markers · CPC title