Back to results
US 2014/0371971 A1Published application
Single wheel irrigation tower
AssigneeLindsay Corporation
InventorDick Philip Welch
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A single wheel irrigation tower for use in an irrigation system, the tower comprising a support member, a single wheel rotatably connected to the support member for moving along a ground surface, a motor operable to rotate and propel the wheel along the ground surface, and a sensor and controller collectively operable to balance the support member on the wheel.
Claims20
An irrigation tower for use in a movable irrigation system, the irrigation tower comprising:
- a support member;
- a single wheel rotatably connected to the support member for moving along a ground surface;
- a motor operable to rotate and propel the wheel along the ground surface;
- at least one sensor operable to detect an orientation of the support member;
- and
- a controller operable to receive data representative of the orientation from the sensor, apply a balancing algorithm to the data, and generate an output, the output being representative of a maneuver necessary to maintain a balance of the support member on the wheel, the controller being further configured to transmit an instruction to the motor to rotate the wheel for a direction, duration, and/or speed corresponding to the output for maintaining the balance of the support member on the wheel.
3 more elements
An irrigation tower for use in a movable irrigation system, the irrigation tower comprising:
- a support member;
- a single wheel rotatably connected to the support member for moving along a ground surface;
- a steerable link connected to the wheel for orienting the wheel in a new horizontal direction;
- a motor operable to rotate and propel the wheel along the ground;
- at least one sensor operable to detect an orientation of the support member;
- and
- a controller operable to receive data representative of the orientation from the sensor, apply a balancing algorithm to the data, and generate an output, the output being representative of a maneuver necessary to maintain a balance of the support member on the wheel, the controller being further configured to transmit an instruction to the motor to rotate the wheel for a direction, duration, and/or speed corresponding to the output for maintaining the balance of the support member on the wheel.
4 more elements
An irrigation system comprising:
- an irrigation source;
- at least one irrigation span coupled to the irrigation source and movable at a first end, the irrigation span being operable to distribute an irrigation liquid;
- and
- a movable tower supporting and coupled to the irrigation span at the first end, the tower comprising:
- a support member;
- a single wheel rotatably connected to the support member for moving along a ground surface;
- a motor operable to rotate and propel the wheel along the ground surface;
- at least one sensor operable to detect an orientation of the support member;
- and
- a controller operable to receive data representative of the orientation from the sensor, apply a balancing algorithm to the data, and generate an output, the output being representative of a maneuver necessary to maintain a balance of the support member on the wheel, the controller being further configured to transmit an instruction to the motor to rotate the wheel for a direction, duration and/or speed corresponding to the output for maintaining the balance of the support member on the wheel.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.