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US 10,609,854 B2Granted
Parallel hitching for modular power units
AssigneeDeere & Company
InventorsBernard E. Romig, Noel W. Anderson, Terence D. Pickett
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
During coordinated operation of multiple different modular traction power units (MPUs), a desired change in relative tractive effort contributed by each of the MPUs is identified. Relative distances between a connection point for each MPU and an implement hitch point is determined, in order to identify a hitch bar target position that will achieve the identified relative tractive effort contribution. The hitch bar is adjusted to make distance adjustments, based on the target position, to achieve the identified relative tractive effort for the MPUs.
Claims20
A hitch assembly, comprising:
- an implement hitch portion configured to couple an implement to the hitch assembly;
- a first hitch bar portion, coupled to the implement hitch portion, that has a first modular power unit (MPU) connection portion configured for connection to a first MPU, the first hitch bar portion having a dynamically variable configuration that dynamically varies a length of the first hitch bar portion between the implement hitch portion and the first MPU connection portion;
- a first hitch bar position sensor that generates a first position signal indicative of the length of the first hitch bar portion between the implement hitch portion and the first MPU connection portion;
- a second hitch bar portion, coupled to the implement hitch portion, that has a second modular power unit (MPU) connection portion configured for connection to a second MPU, so the first and second MPUs are substantially connected in parallel with one another;
- and
- a control system that receives the first position signal and generates a first target length control signal to control the dynamically variable configuration of the first hitch bar portion to dynamically vary the length of the first hitch bar portion to vary a distance between the first MPU connection portion and the second MPU connection portion based on the first position signal and a first hitch bar target length.
3 more elements
A method, comprising:
- sensing a length of a first hitch bar portion on a hitch assembly, the first hitch bar portion having a first modular power unit (MPU) connection portion configured for connection to a first MPU and an implement hitch portion configured for connection to an implement, the first hitch bar portion having a dynamically variable configuration that dynamically varies the length of the first hitch bar portion, the hitch assembly further including a second hitch bar portion, coupled to the implement hitch portion, that has a second modular power unit (MPU) connection portion configured for connection to a second MPU, so the first and second MPUs are substantially connected in parallel with one another;
- generating a first position signal indicative of the sensed length of the first hitch bar portion;
- and
- generating a first target length control signal to dynamically vary the length of the first hitch bar portion to vary a distance between the first MPU connection portion and the second MPU connection portion based on a first hitch bar target length and the first position signal.
1 more element
A hitch architecture, comprising:
- a hitch bar assembly, comprising:
- an implement hitch portion configured to couple an implement to the hitch bar assembly;
- a first hitch bar portion, coupled to the implement hitch portion, that has a first modular power unit (MPU) connection portion configured for connection to a first MPU, the first hitch bar portion having a dynamically variable configuration that dynamically varies a length of the first hitch bar portion;
- a first hitch bar position sensor that generates a first position signal indicative of the length of the first hitch bar portion between the implement hitch portion and the first MPU connection portion;
- and
- a second hitch bar portion, coupled to the implement hitch portion, that has a second modular power unit (MPU) connection portion configured for connection to a second MPU, so the first and second MPUs are substantially connected in parallel with one another;
- a relative tractive contribution identifier that identifies a target relative tractive contribution of the first and second MPUs and generates a target relative tractive contribution indicator indicative of the target relative tractive contribution;
- and
- a control system that receives the first position signal and the target relative tractive contribution indicator and generates a first hitch bar target length based on the target relative tractive contribution indicator and generates a first target length control signal to dynamically vary the length of the first hitch bar portion to vary a distance between the first MPU connection portion and the second MPU connection portion based on the first hitch bar target length and the first position signal.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.