Automatic Steering System For An Agricultural Implement

• US 20090272551A1
• Filed: 12/04/2008
• Published: 11/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CNH Industrial Canada, Ltd (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Original Assignee: CNH Canada Limited (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Inventors: Friggstad, Terry, Thompson, Dennis
• Granted Patent: US 8,428,831 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 172/284
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 69/003 Steering or guiding of machines or implements pushed or pulled by or mounted on agricultural vehicles such as tractors, e.g. by lateral shifting of the towing connection
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 69/004 automatic

Abstract

An assembly for facilitating steering of an agricultural implement linkable to a work vehicle is disclosed. The assembly comprises at least a first ground-engaging wheel to engage a ground surface below a frame of the agricultural implement to support the frame above the ground surface. The assembly further comprises a positioning system for receiving a positioning signal from a positioning source. The positioning system determines a current position of the agricultural implement from at least the positioning signal, and the positioning system generates a control signal derived from the current position of the agricultural implement. The assembly further comprises a steering cylinder connected to the first ground-engaging wheel. The steering cylinder operatively connects to the positioning system to steer the first ground-engaging wheel based on the control signal.

Claims

1. An assembly for facilitating steering of an agricultural implement linkable to a work vehicle, the agricultural implement including a main frame and a connection joint for linking the main frame to the work vehicle, the assembly comprising:

at least a first ground-engaging wheel to engage a ground surface below the frame thereby supporting the frame above the ground surface;

a positioning system for receiving a positioning signal from a positioning source, the positioning system determining a current position of the agricultural implement from at least the positioning signal, and the positioning system generating a control signal derived from the current position of the agricultural implement; and

a steering cylinder connected to the first ground-engaging wheel and operatively connected to the positioning system to steer the first ground-engaging wheel based on the control signal.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the positioning system comprises:

an implement receiver for receiving the positioning signal from the positioning source, and the implement receiver sending a receiver signal derived from the current position of the agricultural implement; and

a controller operatively connected to the implement receiver for receiving the receiver signal, and the controller sending the control signal.

3. The assembly of claim 2, wherein the controller operatively connects to a vehicle receiver of the work vehicle, the vehicle receiver receiving the positioning signal from the positioning source, a current position of the work vehicle being determined from the positioning signal, and the controller receiving a vehicle receiver signal from the vehicle receiver, the vehicle receiver signal being derived from the current position of the work vehicle.

4. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the steering cylinder is a hydraulic steering cylinder including a hydraulic valve operatively connected to the positioning system to control an amount of hydraulic fluid supplied to the hydraulic steering cylinder in response to the control signal.

5. An assembly for facilitating steering of an agricultural implement linkable to a work vehicle, the agricultural implement including a main frame and a connection joint for linking the main frame to the work vehicle, the assembly comprising:

a wheel support member supported below the frame;

at least a first ground-engaging wheel supported by the wheel support member to engage a ground surface below the frame thereby supporting the frame above the ground surface;

at least a first lift cylinder connected between the frame and the wheel support member and controllable to adjust the height of the frame above the ground;

an implement receiver for receiving a positioning signal from a positioning source, the implement receiver determining a current position of the implement receiver from at least the positioning signal, and the implement receiver sending a receiver signal derived from the current position of the implement receiver;

a controller operatively connected to the implement receiver for receiving the receiver signal, and the controller generating a control signal derived from the receiver signal; and

a steering cylinder connected to the wheel support member and operatively connected to the controller to steer the first ground-engaging wheel based on the control signal.

6. The assembly of claim 5, wherein the first lift cylinder is operatively connected to the controller to adjust the height of the frame above the ground in response to the control signal.

7. The assembly of claim 5, further comprising a second lift cylinder connected between the frame and the wheel support member on a side of the frame opposite the first lift cylinder, and the second lift cylinder controllable to adjust the height of the frame above the ground.

8. The assembly of claim 5, further comprising at least a second ground-engaging wheel supported by the wheel support member and engaging the ground surface below the frame thereby supporting the frame above the ground surface, the steering cylinder connected to the second-ground engaging wheel to control steering of the second ground-engaging wheel based on the control signal and independently of the first lift cylinder.

9. The assembly of claim 5, wherein the steering cylinder and the first lift cylinder are hydraulic cylinders, each of the steering cylinder and the first lift cylinder including a hydraulic valve operatively connected to the controller to control an amount of hydraulic fluid supplied to the hydraulic cylinder based on the control signal.

10. A method of steering an agricultural implement, comprising the steps of:

receiving a positioning signal from a positioning source as the agricultural implement is motivated by a work vehicle;

determining a current position of an implement receiver located on the agricultural implement from the positioning signal; and

controlling actuation of a steering cylinder connected to at least a first ground-engaging wheel based on the current position of the implement receiver to steer the first ground-engaging wheel.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the steering cylinder is a hydraulic cylinder including a hydraulic valve, and the hydraulic valve supplies a hydraulic fluid to the steering cylinder to control actuation of the steering cylinder based on the current position of the implement receiver.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the positioning signal is a global positioning system signal.

13. The method claim 10, further comprising the step of determining and storing a previous coverage area from dimensions of the agricultural implement and a previous path of the agricultural implement.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of determining a potential implement travel path from potential incremental orientation changes of the first ground-engaging wheel.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of determining a potential coverage area from the potential incremental orientation changes of the first ground-engaging wheel.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

determining and storing a previous coverage area from dimensions of the agricultural implement and the receiver signal; and

determining if a current implement travel path and the previous coverage area will create a non-covered area.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of reorienting the first ground-engaging wheel to substantially minimize the creation of the non-covered area.

18. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of steering the first-ground engaging wheel to prevent the agricultural implement from moving from an implement straight travel path orientation when traveling on a hill.

19. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of reorienting the agricultural implement relative to an implement straight travel path orientation to perform a planting operation subsequent to a strip-till operation.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of steering the first ground-engaging wheel to appropriately position planting units of the agricultural implement relative to rows formed during the strip-till operation.