Rotational fluid joint for agricultural machine
AssigneeDeere & Company
InventorsTyler G. Groves, Juan Quintanilla, Elia Mayela Nieblas, Myrna Yadira Said
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A rotational joint is provided for an agricultural machine having hinged frame sections, each frame section carrying one or more plumbing lines for moving a carrier fluid. The rotational joint includes first and second joint parts. Each joint part has a coupler defining a flow passage leading to an interface opening. The joints parts are coupled to allow for relative rotation about a rotation axis passing through the interface openings. In at least one angular orientation of the joint parts, the flow passages of the couplers are in fluid communication.
Claims18
In an agricultural machine having a first frame section and a second frame section hinged to the first frame section, the first frame section and the second frame section each carrying one or more plumbing lines for moving a carrier fluid, a rotational joint comprising:
- a first joint part having a first coupler defining a first flow passage leading to a first interface opening;
- and
- a second joint part having a second coupler defining a second flow passage leading to a second interface opening;
- wherein the first joint part is coupled to the second joint part to allow for relative rotation about a rotation axis passing through the first and second interface openings;
- wherein, in at least one angular orientation of the first and second joint parts, the first flow passage of the first coupler is in fluid communication with the second flow passage of the second coupler;
- and
- wherein the first and second couplers have respective first and second coupler openings about respective first and second axes that are perpendicular to the rotation axis such that the first and second coupler openings are perpendicular to planes defining the respective first and second interface openings.
An agricultural machine, comprising:
- a first frame section having a first plumbing line in which a carrier fluid is moved;
- a second frame section coupled to the first frame section along a hinge axis and having a second plumbing line in which the carrier fluid is moved;
- and
- a rotational joint having a first joint part with a first coupler connected to the first plumbing line of the first frame section and a second joint part with a second coupler connected to the second plumbing line of the second frame section, the first and second joint parts being connected to one another to allow for relative rotation about a rotation axis which is coaxial with the hinge axis;
- wherein the rotational joint is configured so that, at least when the first frame section is in an operational state substantially parallel to the second frame section, a first flow passage of the first coupler is in fluid communication with a second flow passage of the second coupler to pass the carrier fluid from the first plumbing line of the first frame section to the second plumbing line of the second frame section;
- and
- wherein the first and second couplers have respective first and second coupler openings about respective first and second axes that are perpendicular to the rotation axis such that the first and second coupler openings are perpendicular to planes defining the respective first and second interface openings.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.