Patent Application
20130079980
The present invention relates to arrangements for towing a towed vehicle behind a tow vehicle, and, more particularly, to arrangements for towing a towed implement behind a work vehicle.
When using agricultural equipment, it is common to pull a towed vehicle behind a tow vehicle. For example, during a harvesting operation, it is common to pull a grain cart or gravity box behind a tractor. When the grain bin in the combine is full, the grain cart or gravity box is pulled along side of the combine, the unloading auger is swung to the side of the combine, and the grain is offloaded into the cart or gravity box. The full cart or gravity box may then be transported to a dryer location, such as an on-farm batch or bin dryer, or a local elevator.
As another example, it is also common to pull a fertilizer spreader behind a tractor for application of fertilizer, lime, etc. to an agricultural field.
When pulling a towed vehicle such as an agricultural cart, wagon, spreader or the like behind a tractor, the weight of the towed vehicle when full with product can be substantial. For this reason, it is common to use a relatively large tractor to pull such a towed vehicle. The weight effects of a towed vehicle on a tow vehicle are further compounded when a number of towed vehicles are connected together in a train arrangement, such as a number of loaded gravity boxes which are trained together and pulled to a dryer location using a single tractor.
What is needed in the art is a way of towing a heavy towed vehicle or train of towed vehicles, without adversely affecting the operation of the tow vehicle.
The present invention provides a towed vehicle arrangement in which one or more wheels on the towed vehicle are driven and/or braked in response to a sensed parameter associated with an acceleration or deceleration of the towed vehicle.
The invention in one form is directed to a vehicle arrangement, including a tow vehicle and a towed vehicle. The towed vehicle includes at least two wheels and at least one motor, with each motor being coupled with a corresponding wheel. A load sensing hitch between the tow vehicle and the towed vehicle provides an output signal representing a sensed load on the load sensing hitch. An electrical processing circuit is coupled with the load sensing hitch. The electrical processing circuit actuates at least one motor, dependent upon the output signal.
The invention in another form is directed to a towed vehicle arrangement, including a frame, at least two wheels carried by the frame, at least one motor, and an electrical processing circuit. Each motor is coupled with a corresponding wheel. A sensor arrangement senses a parameter associated with an acceleration or deceleration of the towed vehicle, and provides a corresponding output signal. The electrical processing circuit is coupled with the sensor arrangement. The electrical processing circuit actuates at least one motor, dependent upon the output signal.
The invention in yet another form is directed to a method of towing a towed vehicle using a tow vehicle. The towed vehicle has at least one motor with each motor being coupled with a corresponding wheel. The method includes the steps of: sensing a parameter associated with an acceleration or deceleration of the towed vehicle using a sensor arrangement; outputting an output signal from the sensor arrangement representing the sensed parameter; and actuating at least one motor using an electrical processing circuit, dependent upon the output signal.
The above-mentioned and other features and advantages of this invention, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparent and the invention will be better understood by reference to the following description of embodiment of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. The exemplification set out herein illustrates an embodiment of the invention, in one form, and such exemplification is not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner.
Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to
Towed vehicle 10 (
Towed vehicle 10 is shown as including four motors 18 which are respectively coupled with a corresponding wheel 16. However, towed vehicle 10 need not necessarily include a motor 18 associated with each corresponding wheel 16. For example, towed vehicle 10 could be provided with a pair of motors 18 with a single motor on each side. Motors 18 are assumed to be electric motors in the illustrated embodiment, but could be differently configured depending on the application, such as hydraulic motors.
When configured as electric motors, it is desirable to provide towed vehicle 10 with an onboard source of electrical power, such as a single battery 24 or a bank of batteries. The electrical power could also be obtained from an onboard internal combustion engine (i.e., the alternator/generator output of such an engine). Alternatively, it is also possible to obtain electrical power from a similar electrical source onboard tow vehicle 12.
Sensor arrangement 20 senses a parameter associated with an acceleration or deceleration of towed vehicle 10 along a selected one of a plurality of axes. For example, as shown in
In the embodiment shown, sensor arrangement 20 is shown as including a load sensing hitch for sensing fore and aft loading thereon as towed vehicle 10 accelerates or decelerates. For example, towed vehicle 10 may accelerate when an operator increases the throttle or up shifts on-the-fly. Moreover, towed vehicle 10 may decelerate when an operator decreases the throttle or downshifts on-the-fly, or when a wheel 16 drops into a depression or hole in a field.
The specific configuration of sensor arrangement 20 in the form of a load sensing hitch may vary, depending on the application. For example, sensor arrangement 20 may include one or more load cells for detecting fore and aft loading during acceleration and deceleration. Moreover, sensor arrangement 20 is shown as being coupled with and carried by a portion of the tongue or hitch of towed vehicle 10, but could also be carried by the hitch extending rearward from tow implement 12, or even potentially partially carried by each of towed vehicle 10 and tow vehicle 12. Other configurations are also possible.
Electrical processing circuit 22 receives an output signal from sensor arrangement 20 and actuates one or more motors 18, dependent upon the output signal. Electrical processing circuit 22 is shown as being connected with sensor arrangement 20 via a single line 26, but could be coupled in a different manner such as a data bus, wireless connection, etc.
More specifically, the electrical processing circuit 22 compares a value of the output signal from sensor arrangement 20 representing fore and aft loading with an acceptable load range corresponding to a range of tension and compression loading on sensor arrangement 20. If the value of the output signal falls within this acceptable load range, then none of the motors 18 are actuated. On the other hand, if the value of the output signal falls outside of this acceptable load range, then one or more motors 18 are actuated to apply a desired thrust or braking action to the corresponding wheel. In this manner, towed vehicle 10 is independently accelerated or decelerated apart from any pulling force applied by tow vehicle 12.
Electrical processing circuit 22 actuates one or more motors 18 such that an amount of thrust or braking that is applied to a corresponding motor 18 is proportional to a weight of material which is carried by towed vehicle 10 (which in turn can also correspond to the overall weight of towed vehicle 10). For example, in the case of a grain cart or gravity box, the weight thereof increases from an empty weight to a full weight during filling of a grain product. Conversely, in the case of a fertilizer spreader, the weight thereof decreases from a full weight to an empty weight during application of the material.
It is also possible to limit the torque which is applied to a motor 18 such that damage does not occur to the chassis, drive train, etc. For example, electrical processing circuit 22 may be configured to apply a command signal effecting a maximum torque to a given motor 18 and wheel 16 which is less than a maximum threshold amount. Furthermore, it may be possible to simply limit the maximum output torque of a given motor 18 so that the maximum torque is below a threshold value.
In the embodiment illustrated and described above, the sensor arrangement 20 is in the form of a load sensing hitch which senses fore and aft loading which occurs during acceleration and deceleration of towed vehicle 10. It is also possible to use other sensor and control arrangements which sense or detect a parameter associated with an acceleration or deceleration of towed vehicle 10. For example, it may be possible to equip towed vehicle 10 with an accelerometer for detecting acceleration or deceleration, and then actuate one or more motors 18 to effect a desired thrust or braking action. Moreover, it may be possible to use a brake control which is actuated when an operator depresses a brake pedal onboard tow vehicle 12, dependent on the amount that the brake pedal is depressed. Conversely, it may be possible to apply a thrust action to a given motor 18 when an operator actuates an accelerator control or a throttle control onboard tow vehicle 12.
Referring now to
The present invention has an advantage in that a large tow vehicle 12 is no longer needed to pull or tow a heavy towed vehicle 10. This allows the size of the tow vehicle 12 to be decreased, which in turn decreases the cost of the required vehicle as well as associated operating costs like fuel, etc. The towed vehicles 10 can even be coupled together in a train arrangement while still allowing the use of a relatively small tow vehicle 12.
While this invention has been described with respect to at least one embodiment, the present invention can be further modified within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. This application is therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention using its general principles. Further, this application is intended to cover such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which this invention pertains and which fall within the limits of the appended claims.
