Couplers
AssigneeDoherty Engineered Attachments Limited
InventorsJeremy Glen DOHERTY, Paul James DOHERTY
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A coupler for attaching an implement to a machine, the coupler including a body portion, a first jaw configured to engage a first attachment portion associated with the implement; a moveable jaw configured to engage a second attachment portion associated with the implement; and a first sensor located on the body portion configured to detect the presence of the implement adjacent to the body portion and to indicate one of a safe position in which the implement is securely held by the coupler and an unsafe position in which the implement is not securely held by the coupler.
Claims23
A coupler for attaching an implement to a machine, wherein the implement includes a first attachment portion and a second attachment portion, the coupler including:
- a body portion;
- a first jaw configured to engage the first attachment portion;
- a moveable jaw;
- an actuator configured to move the moveable jaw with respect to the body portion between an engaging position in which it engages a second attachment portion associated with the implement and a disengaging position in which it does not engage the second attachment portion;
- and
- a first sensor located on the body portion configured to detect the presence of the implement adjacent to the body portion;
- a sensor configured to determine if the first attachment portion is engaged by the first jaw;
- an indicator unit configured to provide an indication to a user that the first sensor detects the presence of the implement adjacent to the body portion.
A system for coupling an implement to a machine, the system including:
- a coupler having a body portion including a fixed jaw attached to the body portion and configured to engage a first attachment portion associated with the implement;
- a moveable jaw moveably attached to the body portion and configured to engage a second attachment portion associated with the implement;
- an attachment between the coupler and the machine, the attachment configured to impart a rotation to the coupler about a pivot axis parallel to a width of the fixed jaw, wherein, in use, rotation of the coupler about the pivot axis allows the body portion of the coupler to be rotated relative to the implement first attachment portion, and
- a first sensor located on the body portion configured to detect the presence of the implement adjacent to the body portion when the moveable jaw is not engaged with the implement and at a location spaced apart from the fixed jaw.
A method of coupling an implement to a machine using a coupler, the coupler having a body portion including a fixed jaw attached to the body portion and configured to engage a first attachment portion associated with the implement;
- a moveable jaw moveably attached to the body portion and configured to engage a second attachment portion associated with the implement, and a first sensor located on the body portion and configured to detect when the second attachment portion of the implement is adjacent to the body portion when the moveable jaw is not engaged with the implement and therefore in a position in which it can be engaged by the moveable jaw, the method including the steps of:
- a) engaging the implement first attachment portion with the fixed jaw;
- b) rotating the coupler about a pivot axis parallel to a width of the fixed jaw so as to rotate the body portion towards the implement;
- c) detecting, by way of the first sensor, whether the second attachment portion of the implement is in a position in which it can be engaged by the moveable jaw;
- d) outputting a signal indicative of whether the second attachment portion is in a position in which it can be engaged by the moveable jaw.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.