Agricultural machine with PTO torque limiting feature

• US 20060191359A1
• Filed: 12/22/2005
• Published: 08/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deere & Company
• Original Assignee: Deere & Company
• Inventors: Reinards, Marco, Tarasinski, Nicolai
• Granted Patent: US 7,727,114 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 74/11
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 71/06 Special adaptations of coupling means between power take-off and transmission shaft to the implement or machine couplings for transmitting rotation F16D
• CPC Class Codes: A01F 15/0841 Drives for balers
• CPC Class Codes: A01F 15/085 for round balers

Abstract

A drive assembly for an agricultural machine. A power take off (PTO) output shaft is connected to a driving motor for driving an attachment. A drive transmission is positioned between and interconnects the driving motor and the support wheels of the agricultural machine. An input device is connected to an electronic control unit. A sensor senses the torque transferred between an attachment and the PTO output shaft, and an actuator is configured to change the transmission ratio of the drive transmission, thereby setting the propulsion speed of the agricultural machine such that the torque transferred between the PTO output shaft and an attachment does not exceed a pre-determined value. The electronic control unit further receives data from the input device and calculates a pre-determined value based on the data received, and thereafter controls the actuator accordingly.

Claims

1. A drive assembly for an agricultural machine comprising:

a driving engine;

a power take off (PTO) output shaft connected to the driving motor for driving an attachment;

a drive transmission positioned between and interconnecting the driving motor and wheels that support the agricultural machine on the ground;

an electronic control unit;

an input device connected to the electronic control unit for operating the electronic control unit;

a sensor that determines the torque transferred between an attachment and the PTO output shaft; and

an actuator coupled to the electronic control unit for changing the transmission ratio of the drive transmission, thereby setting the propulsion speed of the agricultural machine such that the torque transferred between the PTO output shaft and an attachment does not exceed a pre-determined value, the electronic control unit being adapted to receive data from the input device and to calculate the pre-determined value based on the data received, and to control the actuator accordingly.

2. The drive assembly of claim 1, wherein the input device sends a quantitative input of the target torque value and information about the attachment to the control unit, whereby the control unit uses the data sent by the input device to calculate the target torque value and to confirm the current torque value as the target torque value.

3. The drive assembly of claim 1, wherein the speed of the driving engine is kept approximately constant.

4. The drive assembly of claim 1, wherein the sensor for determining the torque at the PTO output shaft is positioned on the attachment.

5. The drive assembly of claim 1, wherein the electronic control unit may be operated to vary the propulsion speed of the agricultural machine within one of a range that is pre-determined and a range that is entered by the operator of the agricultural machine.

6. The drive assembly of claim 5, wherein an upper limit of the propulsion speed is entered by the operator of the agricultural machine.

7. The drive assembly of claim 5, wherein an upper limit of the propulsion speed is set to the speed of the machine when automatic control of the propulsion speed is activated.