Smart attachment for a work vehicle

• US 10,873,357 B2
• Filed: 05/02/2017
• Issued: 12/22/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deere & Company
• Original Assignee: Deere & Company
• Inventors: Chaston, Keith N., Smith, Brent A.
• Primary Examiner(s): McNally, Kerri L
• Application Number:
  US15/584,177
• Publication Number:
  US 20180323816A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,330 Days
• Field of Search: 34053913
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/1207 for fastening a rigid aerial element
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2225 used in active tags, i.e. provided with its own power source or in passive tags, i.e. deriving power from RF signal
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/32 Adaptation for use in or on road or rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/40 Radiating elements coated with or embedded in protective material
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/18 wherein the primary active element is movable and the reflecting device is fixed
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/42 with folded element, the folded parts being spaced apart a small fraction of the operating wavelength
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3827 Portable transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks

Abstract

A smart attachment, or more particularly a wireless beacon for coupling with at least one of an attachment and a work vehicle that operates in rugged environments. The beacon comprises a cylindrical housing with a proximal surface and a distal surface coupled with a fastener. This beacon may further comprise a power source, a printed circuit board, an antenna, and an accelerometer, all located within the cylindrical housing.

Claims

1. A beacon subassembly for use with an attachment for a work vehicle, the attachment coupled to a fastener comprising a cylindrical recess wherein the cylindrical recess comprises a helical ridge which spirals about the centerline axis of the cylindrical recess, the beacon subassembly comprising:

a cylindrical housing with a proximal surface and a distal surface and a threaded surface between the proximal surface and the distal surface of the cylindrical housing wherein the threaded surface couples with the helical ridge of the fastener;

a power source located within the cylindrical housing;

a printed circuit board coupled with the power source wherein the printed circuit board is located within the cylindrical housing, and

an antenna coupled with the printed circuit board wherein the antenna is located within the cylindrical housing.

2. The beacon subassembly of claim 1, wherein the proximal surface of the cylindrical housing is at least one of flush and below a proximal surface of the fastener.

3. The beacon subassembly of claim 1, wherein the cylindrical housing further comprises at least a pair of diametrically opposed recesses positioned on the proximal surface of the cylindrical housing.

4. The beacon subassembly of claim 1, wherein the cylindrical housing further comprises at least one hex-shaped recess centered on the proximal surface of the cylindrical housing.

5. The beacon subassembly of claim 1, wherein the cylindrical housing comprises a polymer.

6. The beacon subassembly of claim 1, wherein the cylindrical housing further comprises a honeycomb structure on at least a portion of the cylindrical housing.

7. The beacon subassembly of claim 1, wherein the threaded surface of the cylindrical housing further comprises a pressure activated adhesive.

8. The beacon subassembly of claim 1, wherein the cylindrical housing further comprises an accelerometer coupled with the power source.

10. The beacon subassembly of claim 8, wherein the cylindrical housing further comprises at least a pair of diametrically opposed recesses positioned on the proximal surface of the cylindrical housing.

11. The beacon subassembly of claim 8, wherein the cylindrical housing further comprises at least one hex-shaped recess centered on the proximal surface of the cylindrical housing.

12. The beacon subassembly of claim 8, wherein the cylindrical housing comprises a polymer.

13. The beacon subassembly of claim 8, wherein the threaded surface of the cylindrical housing further comprises a pressure activated adhesive.

14. The beacon subassembly of claim 8, wherein the cylindrical housing further comprises an accelerometer coupled to the power source.

15. The beacon subassembly of claim 8, wherein the proximal surface of the cylindrical housing is at least one of flush and below a proximal surface of the fastener.

16. The beacon subassembly of claim 8, wherein the cylindrical housing further comprises a honeycomb structure on at least a portion of the cylindrical housing.

18. The beacon subassembly of claim 8, wherein the cylindrical housing further comprises at least a pair of diametrically opposed recesses positioned on the proximal surface of the cylindrical housing.

19. The beacon subassembly of claim 8, wherein the proximal surface of the cylindrical housing is at least one of flush and below a proximal surface of the fastener.

20. The beacon subassembly of claim 8, wherein the cylindrical housing further comprises a honeycomb structure on at least a portion of the cylindrical housing.

9. A beacon for attachment to a work vehicle, the beacon comprising:

a fastener comprising a cylindrical recess wherein the cylindrical recess comprises a helical ridge which spirals about a centerline axis of the cylindrical recess, a cylindrical housing with a proximal surface and a distal surface and a threaded surface between the proximal surface and the distal surface of the cylindrical housing wherein the threaded surface couples with the helical ridge of the fastener,

a power source located within the cylindrical housing,

a printed circuit board coupled with the power source wherein the printed circuit board is located within the cylindrical housing, and

an antenna coupled with the printed circuit board wherein the antenna is located within the cylindrical housing.

17. A beacon for attachment to a work vehicle, the beacon comprising:

a fastener comprising a cylindrical recess wherein the cylindrical recess comprises a first centerline axis,

a cylindrical housing with a proximal surface and a distal surface wherein the cylindrical housing comprises a second cylindrical axis,

a power source located within the cylindrical housing,

a printed circuit board coupled with the power source wherein the printed circuit board is located within the cylindrical housing,

an antenna coupled with the printed circuit board wherein the antenna is located within the cylindrical housing,

an accelerometer coupled to the power source, and

an annular snap joint coupling the cylindrical housing and the fastener wherein the first centerline axis and the second centerline axis coincide.