Steering lock of a steering wheel activating an angle of inclination of an attachment

• US 7,543,674 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2006
• Issued: 06/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: CLAAS Saulgau GmbH (CLAAS KGaA mbH)
• Original Assignee: CLAAS Saulgau GmbH (CLAAS KGaA mbH)
• Inventors: Rauch, Hans
• Primary Examiner(s): FABIAN-KOVACS, ARPAD
• Application Number:
  US11/451,964
• Publication Number:
  US 20060277885A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,092 Days
• Field of Search: 56/94, 56/158, 56/159, 56/83, 56/87, 56/97, 561/09, 56/149, 56/151, 56/155, 56/102.E, 562/09, 280/467, 280/503, 172/279, 172/3, 172/4.5, 701/200, 701/51, 701/50, 701/41, 701/213, 180/6.24, 180/415, 180/6.2, 180/242, 180/235, 180/204, 180/6.6, 180/240, 180/9.38, 180/12
• US Class Current: 180/235
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 43/082 Gathering units
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 63/00 Outside dividers

Abstract

A method for operating an attachment for harvesting stalk-like crops mounted on a carrier vehicle including a plurality of working tools and at least one stalk-guiding element mounted upstream from the working tools, the method including a step of causing the at least one stalk-guiding element to pivot as a function of the location or position of at least one of the attachment and the carrier vehicle.

Claims

1. A device comprising an attachment for harvesting stalk-like crops, the attachment being adapted for mounting on a front side of a carrier vehicle, and the attachment having a plurality of working tools and at least one stalk-guiding element mounted at least partly upstream from the working tools, wherein the at least one stalk-guiding element executes a rotational movement about a center of motion of an upright pivot axis as a function of the location or position of at least one of the attachment and the carrier vehicle while the attachment is mounted to the front side of the carrier vehicle;

wherein at least one angle of steering lock of steering wheels of the carrier vehicle is detected and measured by an angle of rotation sensor and supplied as an input signal to an input of a microprocessor, whereby at least one output signal is generated to activate an actuating drive to produce an angle of inclination α

about a first center of motion.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the entire attachment executes a relative rotation with respect to a longitudinal center plane by the angle of inclination α

about the first center of motion.

3. The device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the relative rotation contains at least two rotation operations such that the attachment executes a first rotation by the angle of inclination α

and at least one stalk-guiding element of the attachment executes a second rotation by an angle of inclination γ

.

4. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of two outer sections of the attachment executes a rotation relative to a longitudinal center plane by the angle of inclination α

about a second center of motion that is the same as or different from the first center of motion.

5. The device as claimed in claim 3, wherein at least one angle of inclination α

and γ

is controlled as a function of an amount of an instantaneous turning radius (R) during cornering of the carrier vehicle.

6. The device as claimed in claim 3, wherein at least one angle of inclination α

and γ

is controlled as a function of an amount of the angle of steering lock of the steering wheels on the carrier vehicle.

7. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the actuating drive comprises at least one hydraulic cylinder.

8. The device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the at least one angle of inclination α

and γ

is predetermined by means of one of a presettable manual control and an automatic control operating mode.

9. The device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the at least one angle of inclination α

and γ

is controlled as part of an automatic steering control of the carrier vehicle.

10. The device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the at least one angle of inclination α

and γ

is controlled via a manually actuable actuating element that forms part of a control device of the carrier vehicle.

11. The device as claimed in claim 3, wherein at least portions of control components for controlling the at least one angle of inclination α

and γ

are situated onboard the carrier vehicle.

12. The device as claimed in claim 10, wherein at least portions of control components for controlling the at least one angle of inclination α

and γ

are situated on the attachment.

13. The device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the control device comprises a microprocessor.

14. The device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the control device comprises a databus.

15. The device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the control device comprises a job computer located on the attachment side.

16. The device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the control device and job computer communicate with each other by means of a databus.

17. The device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the control device comprises a load-sensing hydraulic pump.

18. The device as claimed in claim 17, wherein the hydraulic pump is controlled by one of a pressure means and a conveying flow means.

19. The device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the control device comprises proportionally controlled control valves.