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US 11,026,368 B2Granted
Steering control system for harvester and methods of using the same
AssigneeCNH Industrial America LLC
InventorsJeffrey Brown Fay, II, Mark Dean Layton, Steven C. Young, Gregory Fasick, Madhu Pankaj, Robert Fackler
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The disclosure relates to a steering control system useful for providing stable control during high-speed operation of harvesters, such as self-propelled windrowers. The steering control system utilizes a sensor for detecting and regulating a position of a single steering cylinder associated with a first caster, a damper being free of sensing and providing passive damping to the second caster.
Claims20
A steering control system for a harvester, comprising:
- a first cylinder configured to be coupled to a rear axle of the harvester at one end and rigidly coupled to an upright shaft of a first caster of the harvester at an opposing end;
- a sensor associated with the first cylinder and in communication with a controller, the sensor detecting a position of the first cylinder;
- and
- a damper configured for extension and retraction and to be coupled to the rear axle of the harvester at one end and an upright shaft of a second caster of the harvester at an opposing end;
- wherein in a road operation mode, the first cylinder is actuated by the controller to extend or retract to control steering of the first caster, and the sensor transmits data to the controller regarding the detected position of the first cylinder;
- and
- wherein the damper is free of sensing and provides passive damping to the second caster.
4 more elements
A steering control system for a harvester, comprising:
- a first cylinder configured to be coupled to a rear axle of the harvester at one end and rigidly coupled to an upright shaft of a first caster of the harvester at an opposing end;
- a sensor associated with the first cylinder and in communication with a controller, the sensor detecting a position of the first cylinder;
- and
- a second cylinder configured to be coupled to the rear axle of the harvester at one end and an upright shaft of a second caster of the harvester at an opposing end;
- wherein in a road operation mode, the first cylinder is actuated by the controller to extend or retract to control steering of the first caster, and the sensor transmits data to the controller regarding the detected position of the first cylinder;
- and
- wherein the second cylinder is free of sensing and is hydraulically coupled to the first cylinder to move in an equal and opposite direction of the first cylinder to control steering of the second caster.
4 more elements
A harvester, comprising:
- a frame;
- at least one front axle comprising first and second front wheels pivotally mounted to the front axle;
- at least one rear axle comprising first and second casters pivotally mounted to the rear axle;
- and
- a steering control system comprising:
- a first cylinder coupled to the rear axle at one end and rigidly coupled to an upright shaft of the first caster at an opposing end;
- a sensor associated with the first cylinder and in communication with a controller, the sensor detecting a position of the first cylinder;
- and
- a damper configured for extension and retraction and coupled to the rear axle at one end and an upright shaft of the second caster at an opposing end;
- wherein in a road operation mode, the first cylinder is actuated by the controller to extend or retract to control steering of the first caster, and the sensor transmits data to the controller regarding the detected position of the first cylinder;
- and
- wherein the damper is free of sensing and provides passive damping to the second caster.
9 more elements
A harvester, comprising:
- a frame;
- at least one front axle comprising first and second front wheels pivotally mounted to the front axle;
- at least one rear axle comprising first and second casters pivotally mounted to the rear axle;
- and
- a steering control system comprising:
- a first cylinder coupled to the rear axle at one end and rigidly coupled to an upright shaft of the first caster at an opposing end;
- a sensor associated with the first cylinder and in communication with a controller, the sensor detecting a position of the first cylinder;
- and
- a second cylinder coupled to the rear axle at one end and an upright shaft of the second caster at an opposing end;
- wherein in a road operation mode, the first cylinder is actuated by the controller to extend or retract to control steering of the first caster, and the sensor transmits data to the controller regarding the detected position of the first cylinder;
- and
- wherein the second cylinder is free of sensing and is hydraulically coupled to the first cylinder to move in an equal and opposite direction of the first cylinder to control steering of the second caster.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.