Remote hydraulic positioning of an implement stabilizer wheel
AssigneeCNH Industrial America LLC
InventorMichael G. Kovach
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
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.
Claims20
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.
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.
A method for remotely positioning a 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, wherein the stabilizer wheel arrangement includes 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, and a support strut bracket attached to the implement frame and for slidable engagement with a second end of the support strut, the method comprising:
- operatively attaching a first end of a hydraulic cylinder to the support strut, and a second end thereof 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;
- operatively connecting a position sensor 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 stabilizer wheel position with respect to the strut bracket;
- operatively connecting a hydraulic power source to the hydraulic Cylinder for controlling extension and retraction of the cylinder in response to a cylinder control electrical signal;
- and
- operatively connecting an electronic control unit to the position sensor and the hydraulic power source to receive the present position signal and a desired stabilizer wheel position input, and to provide 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.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.