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US 5,469,921 AGranted
Hitch assembly control system
AssigneeCase Corporation
InventorsAbraham Orbach, Dale W. Panoushek, William L. Schubert
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AssigneeCase Corporation
InventorsAbraham Orbach, Dale W. Panoushek, William L. Schubert
Estimating the term…
A hitch assembly control system including an actuator which positions the hitch assembly in response to control signals provided to an electrically driven actuator. The control system further includes an electronic controller operated under the influence of a program for deriving the control signals for the actuator from a series of inputs which monitor and measure various performance criteria. The program functions to operate the hitch assembly in a plurality of different operating states. In a DRAFT state, the hitch assembly position is controlled under the influence of at least four independently set variables. The control system of the present invention is capable of calibrating the hitch assembly configuration as well, as the limits of hitch assembly operation. Moreover, the control system of the present invention is capable of detecting, categorizing and recording failures which occur in the various states of hitch assembly operation. The control system of the present invention furthermore is capable of maintaining a substantially constant rate of elevational movement of the hitch assembly regardless of the weight of the ground engaging assembly attached to the hitch assembly.
A control system for controlling elevation of a hitch assembly adapted to be coupled to an implement, the hitch assembly including an actuator for moving the hitch assembly through a range of positions between an extreme lower position and an extreme upper position in response to control signals, the control system comprising:
In a control system for controlling the elevation of a hitch assembly adapted to be coupled to an implement, the hitch assembly including an actuator for moving the hitch assembly through a range of positions in response to control signals, the control system generating control signals to maintain desired elevations of the hitch assembly based at least upon error signals representing the difference between actual and reference values for an operating parameter other than position, the improvement comprising an operator adjustable device for setting the extreme lower elevation to which the hitch assembly is permitted to move in response to the error signals.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.