Patent Application
20150289436
The present invention relates to improvements in and relating to load transfer.
The present invention has particular application to both tractors which tow implements via means of 3 point linkage (hitch) or simply via a tow bar.
A major problem faced by tractors when towing (pulling) a heavy load, is that the effective load being towed by the tractor, can vary considerably when traversing variable ground conditions, and traction can suffer as a result. Some non-limiting examples of such varying ground conditions can include:
Soil and rocky or stony ground;
Dry and muddy and/or wet ground;
Flat and undulating ground; or
Hills and flat ground.
Typically, difficulties are encountered at the interfaces between the different ground conditions.
The above discussed loss of traction experienced by a tractor towing an implement, has over the years, been sought to be addressed in a number of different ways, including: the addition of ballast to the tractor; draft control systems; and automatic performance management systems. However, these systems still all have their drawbacks as detailed below.
All conventional tractors available on the market today all still require the addition ballast which is “dead” weight (in the order of several tons or more depending on the size of the tractor and load to be towed) that is added to the tractor to increase traction. The requirement for ballast to be added to tractors remains despite tractors being fitted with draft control and automatic management systems to combat loss of traction. As will be understood the addition of dead weight to be moved by a tractor in addition to the load to be towed significantly reduces fuel economy.
The majority of new tractors today are fitted with a draft control system which utilises a sensor which senses increased draft forces arising from the towed implement pulling back on the hitch arms of a three point hitch, in situations of increased drag and indicating the potential for a loss in traction. When increased draft forces are encountered, the draft control system responds by lifting the hitch arms, in an attempt to reduce the drag, by lifting the implement a little further out of the ground. However, this response by the draft control system can eventually become a problem, when the draft control automatically engages several times, during a towing operation, as the repeated lifting response causes the implement to be totally lifted out of the ground—which is of course undesirable. A problem with the draft control system is that it cannot operate in reverse and lower the arms once reduced drag is encountered. It is a one way system.
Automatic management systems sense wheel slippage by monitoring wheel speed and true ground speed. When there is a difference of 10-15% between the wheel speed and true ground speed, the system recognises this as a wheel slippage event, and operates the lifting arms to lift the implement out of the ground a fraction to reduce drag. However, these systems are notoriously unreliable in practice as:
It is an object of the present invention to address the foregoing problems or at least to provide the public with a useful choice.
All references, including any patents or patent applications cited in this specification are hereby incorporated by reference. No admission is made that any reference constitutes prior art. The discussion of the references states what their authors assert, and the applicants reserve the right to challenge the accuracy and pertinency of the cited documents. It will be clearly understood that, although a number of prior art publications are referred to herein, this reference does not constitute an admission that any of these documents form part of the common general knowledge in the art, in New Zealand or in any other country.
Throughout this specification, the word “comprise”, or variations thereof such as “comprises” or “comprising”, will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated element, integer or step, or group of elements integers or steps, but not the exclusion of any other element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps.
Further aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the ensuing description which is given by way of example only.
The term ‘drawbar’ as used herein refers to a beam on the front of a towed implement used for attaching to a tow bar on a tractor to enable towing.
The term ‘low bar’ as used herein refers to a bar on the back of a tractor used for towing.
The term three-point linkage arrangement as used herein refers to:
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a load sensing and lift cylinder adjusting system for a three-point linkage arrangement on a tractor, which includes:
According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a load sensing and lift cylinder adjusting system for a three-point linkage arrangement on a tractor, substantially as described above, wherein the system includes at least one shock absorbing device capable of absorbing a hydraulic shock wave.
According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a load sensing and lift cylinder adjusting system for a three-point linkage arrangement, substantially as described above, wherein the control system is in the form of PLC and load setting system, which utilises a user interface located in the cab of the tractor, to allow for input of desired load transfer information into the control system.
According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a load sensing and lift cylinder adjusting system for a three-point linkage arrangement, substantially as described above, wherein it is the load adjusting system which has a directional valve, cooperating with a load sensing proportional valve and load sense pump.
According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a load sensing and lift cylinder adjusting system for a three-point linkage arrangement, substantially as described above, wherein it is a load sensing proportional valve which detects changes in load and the magnitude of the change in the load.
According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a tractor which includes a load sensing and lift cylinder adjusting system for a three-point linkage arrangement substantially as described above.
According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of controlling the lift cylinder(s) used on a three-point linkage arrangement on a tractor comprising the steps of:
Further aspects of the present invention will become apparent from the ensuing description which is given by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
The load sensing and lifting cylinder adjusting system of the present invention is made up of the following systems:
First, a control system which is in the form of a PLC and load setting system, which utilises a user interface (control panel) normally located in the cab of the tractor, to allow for input of desired load transfer information into the control system.
Secondly, a load adjusting system which has a directional valve, cooperating with a load sensing proportional valve and load sense pump.
Thirdly, a load sensing system in the form of a load sensing proportional valve which detects changes in load and the magnitude of the change in the load.
These three systems are now discussed in more detail in relation to the drawings.
With respect to
The LAS 1 integrates into the hydraulic system of a tractor's three point linkage, via a spool type directional valve 2. The directional valve 2 which is connected to the hydraulic supply line (hose) 3 at an inlet port (not shown), which supplies hydraulic fluid from the tractor's hydraulic fluid supply 100, via a load sense pump 101 to hydraulic lift arms (hydraulic rams or cylinders) 102 (of the three point linkage (not shown), at the rear of a tractor (not shown)). The directional valve 2 also has a first inlet/exit port (not shown) connected to a lift arm supply line 4, which in turn is effectively connected to the lift arms 102 via inlet/output line 5.
The directional valve 2 is operated by an associated solenoid 6. The solenoid 6 is connected to a control system PLC and user interface (not shown), in the tractor cab (not shown). The user interface enables a driver (not shown) to activate the LAS 1, and set the desired weight to be transferred from the towed implement (not shown) to the tractor, at which point the control system PLC governs overall operation of the LAS 1.
The solenoid 6 operates the directional valve 5 to direct fluid either:
The LSP valve 8 is also operated by an associated solenoid 9 which is again connected to and actuated by the control system (not shown). A shock absorber in the form of a nitrogen accumulator 10 is connected to the hydraulic line 7 by way of a hydraulic side branch line 11. The nitrogen accumulator 10 enables the LAS 1 to absorb any shocks experienced in the hydraulic fluid, due to rapid changes in the towed load.
The LSP valve 8 has a first inlet/outlet port (not shown) which connects the LSP valve to the directional valve as aforementioned via line 7. In addition the LSP valve 8 has an inlet line 12, which supplies hydraulic fluid to the LSP valve 8 from the load sense pump 101. Line 12 also has a branch line 13 coming off, which supplies high pressure hydraulic fluid to the tractor system via the load sense pump 101, when the LSP valve 8 shuts off inlet line 12. In addition, the LSP valve 8 also has an outlet port (not shown) and associated line 17, which can redirect hydraulic fluid received from the directional valve 2, in an over pressure situation in the lift cylinders 102, to the tractor's hydraulic fluid supply 100.
The load sense pump 101 also has an additional supply port (not shown) which conventionally can be used for providing hydraulic fluid to towed implements, which have hydraulic equipment thereon. In the present invention, a load sense supply line 14 is connected to the additional supply port on pump 101, and this is connected to the LSP valve 8 via a priority valve in the form of a ball valve 15. The ball valve 15 has a port (not shown) which is connected to a tractor supply line 16. The ball valve 15 senses when the tractors essential services, such as brakes or steering, require pressurised hydraulic fluid, it diverts hydraulic fluid to line 16 in such situations, as a matter of priority. Providing, that fluid to line 16 takes precedence over supplying pressurised hydraulic fluid to the LAS 1, until such time as hydraulic fluid is no longer required by essential services.
In practice, diversion of hydraulic fluid to essential services does not affect operation of the LAS 1, as the need for oil by essential services typically is only required for around 1-3 seconds, at maximum, in most normal situations. It being understood, if essential services require additional pressurised hydraulic fluid for a longer time period, then the tractor is in a serious situation—where the normal towing operation is most likely a low priority.
The following description details how the LAS of
In
When the tractor goes over a rise 1006, the lift cylinders 1004 experience a downward force X, this increases the pressure of the hydraulic fluid within the lift cylinders 1004. As the pressure in the cylinder 1004 now exceeds the pre-set load transfer pressure—that the user initially selected after attaching the implement to the tractor—this is sensed by the LSP valve 8. The control system (not shown) upon receiving this information from the LSP, operates the solenoids 6, 9 on the directional and LSP valves 2, 8 respectively, so as to direct hydraulic fluid from the cylinder back to the hydraulic fluid supply of the tractor 100 via line 17. To thereby reduce the pressure in the lift cylinders 1004 until it reaches the pre-set cylinder pressure.
When the tractor goes into a dip 1007 in the ground the lift cylinder 1004 experiences an upward force Y which decreases the pressure of the hydraulic fluid within the lift cylinders 1004. As the pressure in the cylinders 1004 is now below the pre-set load transfer pressure—that the user initially selected after attaching the implement to the tractor—this is sensed by the LSP valve 8. The control system (not shown) upon receiving this information from the LSP valve 8 operates the solenoids 6, 9 on the directional and LSP valves 2, 8 to enable the load sense pump 101 to pump pressurised hydraulic fluid from the tractor's hydraulic fluid supply to the lift cylinders 1004. This occurs until the pressure in the lift cylinders 1004 reaches the pre-set cylinder pressure—as detected by the LSP valve 8.
In
In this example a user has hitched a plough to the three point hitch of a tractor. Once the implement is attached to the three point hitch the user can switch on the LAS 1 of
This energises the solenoids of the directional valve and LSP valve. Prior to the LAS being activated by the user, the directional valve acts a simple one way valve, and only allows hydraulic fluid to be supplied to the lift cylinders, via the tractor's normal draft control system.
However, once the LAS is activated the control system takes over control of the directional valve, and the one way valve is deactivated. The solenoid then actuates the valve in accordance with instructions received from the control system.
Initially, the LAS instructs the directional valve and LSP valve to direct fluid to the lift cylinders, via the load sense pump, until the pressure selected by the user is reached. At this point the LSP valve shuts off the supply line from the load sense pump. As the directional valve and LSP valve are still in fluid communication, via line the LSP can monitor the lift cylinder pressure.
For example, if the user selects a pressure of 800 psi for the lift cylinder, then the control system operated the solenoid on the LSP valve, so that the load sense pump, will pump hydraulic fluid to the lift cylinders, until this pressure is reached as aforementioned.
Then during the towing operation, if the LSP valve senses that the 800 psi pressure is exceeded in the lift cylinders, the control system operates the solenoid associated with the LSP valve to direct fluid back to the tractor's hydraulic fluid supply, until the target 800 psi pressure within the cylinders is reached.
If however, during in a towing operation the LSP senses a decrease in the 800 psi pressure, the control system operates the solenoid associated with the LSP valve, to allow the load sense pump to pump fluid to the cylinders until 800 psi pressure within the cylinders, is once again attained.
The control system may be any suitable PLC and the load setting system may be any suitable user interface effectively connected to the PLC to allow a user to select load transfer settings.
The control system and load setting system may include a screen or other visual indicator device, for displaying the load to be transferred to the tractor from the towed implement and/or the pressure at which the lift cylinder, is to be maintained during the towing of the implement.
The load sensing system may include a load sensing proportional valve which is coupled to the lift cylinder of the three point linkage.
The load sensing proportional valve may come in a variety of different forms without departing from the scope of the present invention.
In one embodiment the load sensing proportional valve may include a solenoid which is controlled by the control system and used to operate the load sensing proportional valve.
The load adjusting system may include a directional valve coupled to (i.e. in fluid communication with) a load sensing proportional valve which is in turn coupled to a load sense pump.
The directional valve may have a variety of different configurations for controlling the flow of hydraulic fluid, without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example the directional valve may be selected from:
In one embodiment the directional valve may include a solenoid which is controlled by the control system and used to operate the directional valve.
The load sense pump may be the load sense pump which is present in the existing hydraulic system of a tractor.
The load sense pump may be connected to the load sense proportional valve so as to create a stand by pressurised oil circuit, which maintains hydraulic fluid flowing around the circuit at a constant pressure of 300 psi. The load sense pump may be configured so that this pressurised fluid circuit is the default configuration of the valve. The pressurised fluid circuit is always operating unless either: a pressure drop in the lift cylinder is detected, or a ball priority valve which is included in the pressurised fluid circuit, detects that fluid needs to be redirected to the tractor's brakes, or steering, or other essential hydraulic service, as an overriding priority.
Preferred embodiments, of the present invention may have a number of advantages over the prior art which can include, but should not be limited to:
Aspects of the present invention have been described by way of example only and it should be appreciated that modifications and additions may be made thereto without departing from the scope thereof as defined in the appended claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 603439 | Nov 2012 | NZ | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/NZ2013/000195 | 11/4/2013 | WO | 00 |
