Agricultural machine with a hydraulically driven generator

An electrical power generation system that generates electrical power for an electrically powered component on a towed agricultural vehicle, the electrical power generation system comprising:

• a generator, coupled to the electrically powered component, having a rotor and generating electrical power to power the electrically powered component;
• a variable displacement hydraulic motor having a hydraulic fluid input that is configured to receive hydraulic fluid under pressure and an angular displacement drive mechanism coupled to drive the rotor of the generator, the variable displacement hydraulic motor driving rotation of the angular displacement drive mechanism;
• and
• a displacement controller coupled to the variable displacement motor to control displacement of the variable displacement motor to vary torque exerted by the angular displacement drive mechanism on the rotor of the generator, wherein the displacement controller is configured to receive an indication of a pressure of the hydraulic fluid under pressure at the hydraulic fluid input to the variable displacement hydraulic motor and to control the displacement of the variable displacement hydraulic motor based on the pressure of the hydraulic fluid under pressure at the hydraulic fluid input to the variable displacement hydraulic motor.

A planter row unit, comprising:

• a seed metering system;
• a generator, coupled to the seed metering system, having a rotor and generating electrical power to power the seed metering system;
• a variable displacement hydraulic motor having a hydraulic fluid input that is configured to receive hydraulic fluid under pressure and an angular displacement drive mechanism coupled to drive the rotor of the generator, the variable displacement hydraulic motor driving rotation of the angular displacement drive mechanism, wherein a speed at which the angular displacement drive mechanism rotates varies with flow of hydraulic fluid under pressure through the variable displacement hydraulic motor;
• a flow controller assembly configured to control flow of hydraulic fluid under pressure through the variable displacement motor based on a speed of rotation of the angular displacement drive mechanism;
• and
• a displacement actuator, coupled to the variable displacement motor, and configured to actuate to control displacement of the variable displacement motor to vary torque exerted by the angular displacement drive mechanism on the rotor of the generator, based on a pressure of the hydraulic fluid received by the hydraulic fluid input.