Drive system with hydraulic idler tensioner

• US 9,995,374 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2016
• Issued: 06/12/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deere & Company
• Original Assignee: Deere & Company
• Inventors: Anstey, Henry D., Derscheid, Daniel E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Liu, Henry Y
• Application Number:
  US15/278,103
• Publication Number:
  US 20170016518A1
• Time in Patent Office: 622 Days
• Field of Search: 474134, 474110, 474103, 474104
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 69/002 driven by power take-off
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 69/03 fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 69/08 Clutches
• CPC Class Codes: A01F 15/0841 Drives for balers
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2007/0812 Fluid pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2007/0865 Pulleys
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2007/0885 the tension being a function of engine running condition
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2007/0893 Circular path
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 7/00 Gearings for conveying rotary motion by endless flexible members specific for conveying rotary motion with variable gear ratio or for reversing rotary motion F16H9/00 ; chainwheels F16H55/30
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 7/08 Means for varying tension of belts, ropes, or chains pulleys of adjustable construction F16H55/52 ; gearings with endless belts F16H7/02; tensioning for chains or belts specially adapted for cycles B62M9/16; belt or chain tensioning arrangements for endless conveyors B65G23/44
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 7/1281 where the axis of the pulley moves along a substantially circular path

Abstract

A drive system for an agricultural work machine having a primary drive system configured to drive a performance system for performing a crop preparation or handling operation including a fluid motor, a fluid pump and a tensioner system. The fluid motor is configured to produce a drive force and to be driven by a flow of fluid moving through the motor. The fluid pump is operatively connected to the fluid motor and is configured to drive the fluid motor. The tensioner system is operatively connected to the fluid motor and to the fluid pump, wherein the direction of fluid flow through the fluid motor adjusts the application of at least one force applied to a belt in the drive system. The fluid motor is configured to adjust the force applied to the belt by regulating a belt tension in proportion to a torque provided by the fluid motor.

Claims

1. A method of providing a crop preparation or handling operation with a performance system of an agricultural work machine driven by a primary power source, the method comprising:

providing a primary drive system operatively connected to the primary power source and configured to drive the performance system for the crop preparation or handling operation;

providing a secondary drive system operatively connected to the primary drive system, wherein the secondary drive system includes a fluid driven motor adapted to receive a flow of pressurized fluid and having a drive shaft providing a torque, the fluid driven motor operatively connected to a belt configured to adjust a condition of the primary drive system; and

automatically adjusting a tension of the belt proportionally in response to the torque provided by the drive shaft of the fluid driven motor by applying a force at a first location of the belt based on a fluid flow through the fluid driven motor in a first direction and automatically adjusting the tension of the belt by applying a force at a second location of the belt based on a fluid flow through the fluid driven motor in a second direction.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of providing a secondary drive system includes the fluid driven motor being a hydraulic motor having a first port and a second port adapted to receive the flow of pressurized fluid.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising increasing the tension of the belt proportionally to an increase in the torque provided by the drive shaft of the hydraulic motor, and decreasing the tension of the belt proportionally to a decrease in the torque provided by the drive shaft of the hydraulic motor.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising reducing the tension of the belt in response to the hydraulic motor not providing any torque.

5. The method of claim 2 further comprising directing the flow of fluid in the first direction from the first port to the second port to rotate the drive shaft in a first direction of rotation and directing the flow of fluid from the second port to the first port to drive the drive shaft in the second direction of rotation.

6. A method of preparing or handling crops with a performance system of an agricultural work machine driven by a primary power source, wherein the work machine includes a primary drive system operatively connected to the primary power source and a secondary drive system having a drive shaft operatively connected to the primary drive system, the method comprising:

adjusting a direction of the drive shaft in one of a first direction and a second direction with a directional flow of fluid, wherein the directional flow of fluid determines an amount of torque provided by the drive shaft in the first direction or the second direction; and

applying at least one force to the drive system to adjust a tension thereof, wherein the force is applied proportionally in response to the amount of torque provided by the drive shaft.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of adjusting includes adjusting the direction of the drive shaft with a hydraulic motor having a first port and a second port adapted to receive the directional flow of fluid, wherein a first directional flow of fluid from the first port to the second port determines the amount of torque applied by the drive shaft in the first direction and a second directional flow of fluid from the second port to the first port determines the amount of torque delivered by the drive shaft in the second direction.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the secondary drive system includes a belt operatively connected to drive shaft and wherein the step of applying at least one force includes applying a first force to the belt, wherein the first force is applied proportionally based on the amount of torque delivered by the drive shaft in the first direction.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the step of applying includes applying a second force to the belt, wherein the second force is applied proportionally based on the amount of torque delivered by the drive shaft in the second direction.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein step of applying a first force includes applying the first force to a first location on the belt to adjust the tension thereof.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the step of applying a second force includes applying the second force to a second location on the belt to adjust the tension thereof.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising applying a first bias with a first bias element to the belt in a direction opposite to a direction of the applied first force.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising applying a second bias with a second bias element to the belt in a direction opposite to a direction of the applied second force.

14. A method of preparing or handling crops with a performance system of an agricultural work machine driven by a primary power source, wherein the work machine includes a primary drive system operatively connected to the primary power source and a secondary drive system having a drive shaft operatively connected to the primary drive system, the method comprising:

providing a user input device configured to generate a user input;

adjusting a rotational speed and torque of the drive shaft in response to the user input with a directional flow of fluid in one of a first direction and a second direction, wherein the directional flow of fluid determines the rotational direction of the drive shaft in the first direction or the second direction; and

applying at least one force to the drive system to adjust a tension thereof, wherein the force is applied proportionally in response to a torque of the drive shaft.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the step of adjusting includes adjusting the rotational speed and torque of the drive shaft with a hydraulic motor having a first port and a second port adapted to receive the directional flow of fluid, wherein a first directional flow of fluid from the first port to the second port determines the rotational speed of the drive shaft in the first direction and a second directional flow of fluid from the second port to the first port determines the rotational speed of the drive shaft in the second direction.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the secondary drive system includes a belt operatively connected to drive shaft and wherein the step of applying at least one force includes applying a first force to the belt, wherein the first force is applied proportionally based on the torque delivered by the drive shall in the first direction.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the step of applying includes applying a second force to the belt, wherein the second force is applied proportionally based on the torque delivered by the drive shaft in the second direction.