Systems and methods for coupling an implement to a work vehicle
AssigneeCNH Industrial America LLC
InventorKenneth Herrig
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system to couple an implement to a work vehicle includes a first lock assembly coupled to an arm of the work vehicle. The first lock assembly includes a latch. The first lock assembly also includes a first hook and a second hook positioned on opposite lateral sides of the latch. The first lock assembly further includes a first actuator configured to drive rotation of the latch to trap a laterally-extending bar of the implement between a curved inner surface of the latch and respective curved bar-contacting surfaces of the first and second hooks to form a first connection that couples the implement to the work vehicle.
Claims19
A system configured to couple an implement to a work vehicle that includes a drive system with a rolling assembly to travel along ground, comprising:
- a first lock assembly coupled to an arm of the work vehicle, wherein the first lock assembly comprises:
- a latch;
- a first hook and a second hook positioned on opposite lateral sides of the latch and non-rotatably coupled to the arm of the work vehicle via a support structure;
- and
- a first actuator configured to drive rotation of the latch to trap a laterally-extending bar of the implement between a curved inner surface of the latch and respective curved bar-contacting surfaces of the first and second hooks to form a first connection that couples the implement to the work vehicle;
- and
- a second lock assembly coupled to a frame of the work vehicle, wherein the second lock assembly comprises:
- a first pin;
- a second pin;
- and
- one or more second actuators configured to drive the first pin and the second pin laterally to engage respective openings formed in the implement to form a second connection that couples the implement to the work vehicle.
A system, comprising:
- an implement comprising:
- a pair of implement arms;
- a first mounting portion that extends between and contacts the pair of implement arms, wherein the first mounting portion comprises a laterally-extending bar;
- and
- a second mounting portion comprising a pair of openings formed in the pair of implement arms;
- and
- a work vehicle comprising:
- a first lock assembly coupled to an arm of the work vehicle, wherein the first lock assembly comprises a latch and a first actuator configured to drive rotation of the latch to engage the laterally-extending bar of the implement to form a first connection between the implement and the arm of the work vehicle;
- and
- a second lock assembly coupled to a frame of the work vehicle rearward of the first lock assembly relative to a forward direction of travel of the work vehicle, wherein the second lock assembly comprises a first pin, a second pin, and one or more second actuators configured to drive the first pin and the second pin laterally to engage the pair of openings of the implement to form a second connection between the implement and the frame of the work vehicle.
A method, comprising:
- positioning a laterally-extending bar of an implement adjacent to a latch of a first lock assembly associated with an arm of a work vehicle;
- while positioning the laterally-extending bar adjacent to the latch, actuating a first actuator of the first lock assembly to drive rotation of the latch to engage the laterally-extending bar of the implement to form a first connection between the implement and the arm of the work vehicle;
- subsequently aligning a first pin and a second pin of a second lock assembly associated with a frame of the work vehicle with respective openings of the implement;
- and
- while aligning the first pin and the second pin with the frame, actuating one or more second actuators to drive the first pin and the second pin laterally to engage the respective openings of the implement to form a second connection between the implement and the frame of the work vehicle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.