Steering controller for precision farming

• US 9,162,703 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2013
• Issued: 10/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Agjunction LLC (Kubota Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Agjunction LLC (Kubota Corporation)
• Inventors: Miller, Steve, Ganz, Brian, Hutchings, James, Syverson, Charles D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, John Q
• Assistant Examiner(s): NG, MICHAEL L
• Application Number:
  US13/754,656
• Publication Number:
  US 20140214275A1
• Time in Patent Office: 993 Days
• Field of Search: 701 41- 42, 180/400, 180443-444, 180/446
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/16 Steering columns
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/20 Connecting steering column to steering gear
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 5/00 Power-assisted or power-driven steering for non-deflectable wheels B62D11/00; fluid-pressure servomotors in general F15B
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 5/001 Mechanical components or aspects of steer-by-wire systems, not otherwise provided for in this maingroup
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 5/04 electrical, e.g. using an electric servo-motor connected to, or forming part of, the steering gear
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 40/10 in agriculture

Abstract

A steering controller can control steering of a vehicle and is suitable for precision farm controlling. The steering controller can rotate the steering shaft of the vehicle direct the vehicle on a desired path, for example, using a satellite positioning system. Components of the steering controller are environmental protected by a housing that has an opening extending between its front and rear surfaces. The opening is lined by a shaft. A hub located near the front of the opening can be coupled to the steering shaft of the vehicle. A motor has a stator fixed to the housing and a rotor fixed to the hub. When the housing is attached to a fixed location on the vehicle, the motor can rotate the steering shaft by rotating the hub with respect to the housing. A control module drives the motor based on commands from a guidance module.

Claims

1. A steering controller for controlling steering of a vehicle, comprising:

a housing having a cylindrical opening extending from a front surface of the housing to a rear surface of the housing, the cylindrical opening lined by a shaft;

a donut having an annular shape, the donut disposed around and rotatably coupled to the shaft;

a hub disposed concentrically with the cylindrical opening proximate the front surface of the housing and fixedly coupled to the donut, the hub arranged for coupling to a steering shaft of the vehicle;

a motor comprising a stator fixedly coupled to the housing and a rotor fixedly coupled to the donut, the motor comprising a three-phase brushless DC motor, and the controller module being arranged to determine a commutation sequence of the motor by sensing an operator'"'"'s rotation of the hub;

a control module arranged to drive the motor based on commands from a guidance module, the control module comprising a monitor module configured to limit torque applied by the motor between the hub and the housing;

the monitor module is further configured to sense torque of the hub applied by an operator of the vehicle and disengage the steering controller from controlling steering of the vehicle when the magnitude of the torque exceeds a threshold;

the control module is operable in a velocity control mode that causes the motor to rotate the hub relative to the housing at a desired angular velocity;

the control module is further operable in a position control mode that causes the motor to rotate the hub relative to the housing to a desired angular position;

a seal seat having an annular shape and disposed at an opening in the front surface of the housing and seal having an annular shape and disposed about the hub and adjacent the seal seat, the seal seat and seal having interspersed ridges arranged to deter intrusion of foreign matter into the steering controller;

a front bearing and a rear bearing, wherein the donut is rotatably coupled to the shaft via the front bearing and the rear bearing, wherein the front bearing is disposed at a rabbet at the front edge of the donut and the rear bearing is disposed at a rabbet at the rear edge of the donut;

a paddle shifter assembly removeably mounted to said drive assembly, said paddle shifter assembly including a first paddle and a second paddle, each coupled to a respective first arm and second arm via a respective first hinge and second hinge, wherein each of said first and second arms extend from a baseplate of said paddle shifter assembly; and

said paddle shifter assembly configured to activate one or more switches in electronic communication with said steering controller, wherein said one or more switches are paired with one or more actions associated with functions capable of being performed by said vehicle.