Earth working – Mast type hitch
Reexamination Certificate
2002-01-29
2003-06-24
Novosad, Christopher J. (Department: 3671)
Earth working
Mast type hitch
C172S684500, C701S050000, C037S231000, C037S234000, C037S236000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06581695
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a coupling system for coupling an implement to a utility vehicle.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Various hitching interfaces, also called implement coupling devices, are known, with which, for instance, towed agricultural implements can be attached to an agricultural vehicle, such as a field tractor or a harvesting machine. Vehicle-mounted coupling frames are normally not rigidly connected to the vehicle, but can move relative to the vehicle, so that the hitched implement can also be moved relative to the vehicle. A number of possible coupling elements are known, such as hooks or coupling plates with surface-like coupling areas.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,432,184 describes a hitching device for a tractor with a triangular coupling plate that is connected to the tractor frame by way of several hydraulic and electrical actuators and which can be moved within a certain movement space translationally and rotationally relative to the tractor frame by operation of the actuators. The hitched implement likewise includes a triangular hitching plate, the upper edges of which are bent over in the manner of a flange so that they can receive the corresponding edges of the coupling plate. The known hitching device permits a simple and fast accommodation of mountable equipment from the vehicle cab, without the necessity of having a prior alignment of the tractor to the mountable equipment. To this end, the actuators can be controlled from an operating console in the vehicle cab. For hitching, the coupling plate is first lowered, then the vehicle is moved to bring the coupling plate into the vicinity of the hitching plate, and finally the actuators are moved with the vehicle remaining stationary in order to align the plates with one another, and if desired, to interlock them. Coupling is often difficult, however, since the operator has a poor view of the coupling point from the driver's cab, and has difficulty estimating the distances between the coupling plate and the hitching plate. A great deal of finesse is necessary to carry out the coupling process reliably. This requires patience and time.
For better viewing of the coupling process between vehicle and a towed vehicle coupling from the driver's seat, it was proposed by U.S. Pat. No. 6,076,847 to mount an obliquely positioned mirror above the towing coupling on the towed vehicle tongue, such that the operator can observe the towing coupling from above with the aid of the mirror. Even with this expedient, the maneuvering process is difficult.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the invention is to provide a coupling device which overcomes the above-stated problems.
A further object of the invention is to provide a coupling device which simplifies and speeds up the coupling process, which saves time and fuel.
These and other objects are achieved by the present invention wherein a coupling system includes an implement interface having vehicle-mounted coupling frame and corresponding implement-mounted coupling frame. The spatial position of the vehicle-mounted coupling frame relative to the utility vehicle can be adjusted with adjusting means. The system includes a sensor device that recognizes or detects the position of the implement-mounted coupling frame. An analysis unit ascertains the position of the implement-mounted coupling frame relative to the vehicle-mounted coupling frame. A control unit calculates a movement path for the coupling process and, based on a start signal, drives the adjusting means such that the coupling process is performed completely automatically along the calculated motion path. Appropriate adjustment means are provided to adjust the spatial positions of the vehicle-mounted coupling frame relative to the vehicle.
To effect hitching of an implement, the utility machine is first driven into the vicinity of the implement. During the approach of the utility vehicle to the implement, the position of the implement-mounted coupling frame relative to a predetermined point on the utility vehicle, or to the position of the vehicle-mounted coupling frame, is detected continuously, or periodically at specifiable time intervals, by a sensor device and an analysis unit. In the process, the coordinates of the implement-mounted coupling frame are continuously calculated from the measured values obtained by the sensor device, and whether the implement-mounted coupling frame is within the range of motion (working area) of the vehicle-mounted coupling frame is continually checked. Since the vehicle-mounted coupling frame can be adjusted by the adjusting means within a relatively large range of motion, the driver has a large degree of freedom in aligning the utility vehicle relative to the mountable implement, and can rapidly approach the vehicle to the implement.
If the vehicle is driven into a position in which the implement-mounted coupling frame is in the working space, appropriate information, in the form, for instance, of an acoustic or optical signal, is delivered to the operator by the analysis unit. The operator then brings the utility vehicle to a stop and checks whether the coupling area is free of obstacles and danger-free hitching is possible. If this is the case, then the operator activates the automatic coupling process by, for instance, operating a pushbutton switch. Using the current relative position between the vehicle-mounted and implement-mounted coupling frame, the control unit calculates a movement path for the coupling process and drives the adjusting means to move the vehicle-mounted coupling frame automatically along the calculated movement path up to the implement-mounted coupling frame. In the calculation of the movement path, the position of the implement-mounted coupling points is used as the target position, which does not change for a stationary utility vehicle and implement. The actual momentary position of the vehicle-mounted coupling points is recognized or detected by a suitable sensor system interacting with the adjusting means.
The coupling system permits a largely automated coupling process between utility vehicle and mounted implement, placing no particular demands on the dexterity and experience of the operator. By this provision of an automatic coupling process, the operator is unburdened and can direct his attention completely to safety aspects, such as whether people are endangered by the coupling process or whether there are obstacles in the coupling area. The coupling process can be carried out quickly because it runs automatically and does not depend on the dexterity of the operator. This saves time and fuel.
The vehicle-mounted coupling elements are preferably arranged on a coupling frame that is connected to the vehicle by variable-length adjusting means. Hydraulic cylinders acting on one or both sides, for instance, can be considered as adjusting means. Other hydraulic or electromechanical adjusting elements can also be employed. The coupling frame can be constructed in a variety of ways. It may, for instance, be an essentially triangular plate, constructed as a single-phase coupler and at the vertices of which the adjusting means act, as is seen from U.S. Pat. No. 3,432,184. The coupling frame may also have the form of an isosceles or equilateral triangular frame, on the vertices of which the adjusting means act via articulations and, on the other side of which are fastened coupling elements in the form of hooks and the like, as is evident in subsequently published DE patent 199 51 840. The coupling frame may also be a portal frame with a horizontal upper beam and two vertical side beams as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,092,409.
Preferably, the coupling device includes at least six adjustable-length adjusting means, the first end of each of which is articulated to the vehicle and the respective second end of which is articulated to a coupling frame on which the coupling elements are arranged. The adjusting means are arranged in closed kinematic chains and permit movement of the coupling frame with six degrees of freedom. Such an arrangem
Bernhardt Gerd
Fedotov Sergiy
Rudik Ruslan
Weiss Heinz
Deere & Company
Novosad Christopher J.
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