Cnh Industrial America LLC

Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation

Steven N Winkel

Nathan Paul Brooks

Blaine A Schwalbe

Ross P Christiansen

Roy A Bittner

Lawrence R Borucki, Jr

Douglas V Montgomery

Brian J Pilney

Troy Charles Thorson

Matthew J Mergener

Gary B Swetish

Scott W Anderson

Kerry J Treinen

Karl M Luebke

Todd M Gehring

Mark L Brenneman

William W Strohfeldt

Brent David Bast

Steven W Hyma

Scott Allen Long

John Gordon Marx

Derrick Fallon

John Patrick Greifzu

Andrew D Jacobson

Robert Schnell

Michael Bertotto

Steven M Moretti

An agricultural sprayer includes a chassis and a boom arm supported on the chassis, with the boom arm moveable relative to the chassis. Furthermore, the agricultural sprayer includes a plurality of nozzle assemblies supported on the boom arm, with the plurality of nozzle assemblies configured to dispense an agricultural fluid onto an underlying field. Additionally, the agricultural sprayer includes a cab supported on the chassis, a platform supported on the chassis and positioned outside of the cab, and a railing pivotably coupled to the platform. Moreover, the agricultural sprayer includes an actuator configured to pivot the railing relative to the platform. In addition, the agricultural sprayer includes a computing system configured to receive an input indicative of a position of the boom arm relative to the chassis and control an operation of the actuator based on the position of the boom arm relative to the chassis.

System and method for controlling the operation of an agricultural sprayer

An agricultural vehicle can include a cab including a frame and a windshield. A vehicle seat can include positioned within the cab and longitudinally rearward of the windshield. A user interface can include positioned at least partially on an opposing side of the vehicle seat from the windshield. The user interface can include a housing operably coupled with the frame. A cover can include operably coupled with the housing with the cover defining a void therein and a lip portion. A component can be configured to extend laterally through the void. The lip portion can be positioned at least partially vertically below the component.

System and method for an agricultural applicator

A system for controlling a ground speed of an agricultural sprayer includes one or more sensors configured to capture data indicative of first and second application variables and a computing system communicatively coupled to the one or more sensors. In this respect, the computing system configured to determine the first and second application variables based on the data captured by the one or more sensors. Additionally, the computing system is configured to determine a spray quality index associated with the dispensing of an agricultural fluid onto a field by the agricultural sprayer based on the determined first and second application variables. Moreover, the computing system is configured to control the ground speed at which the agricultural sprayer travels across the field based on the determined spray quality index.

System and method for controlling the ground speed of an agricultural sprayer

An agricultural method for preventing roll-back of an agricultural vehicle may include receiving a roll-back prevention input from a speed setting device indicative of a command to increase the transmission speed of the hydrostatic transmission while a service brake of the agricultural vehicle is engaged. Further, the method may include adjusting a speed mapping for the speed setting device from a predetermined speed mapping to a roll-back speed mapping in response to the roll-back prevention input, with the roll-back speed mapping being associated with a reduced speed range. Additionally, the method may include determining a transmission control command associated with a current position of the speed setting device based on the roll-back speed mapping and controlling an operation of the hydrostatic transmission to adjust the transmission speed based at least in part on the transmission control command.

Agricultural system and method for preventing roll-back of an agricultural vehicle on a sloped surface

According to an aspect of the invention, the brake pedal of an agricultural vehicle can be used as an interface to control auto fold/unfold sequences on a sprayer. This can allow functionality to be moved from a button, such as on the armrest, to the brake pedal using a controller, sensing and software. In one aspect, a button on the armrest can start the sequence, as long as the brake pedal is depressed. After the button is pressed, the operator can remove his hand from the button, but maintain the brake pedal depressed. If the operator lifts his foot off of the pedal, or initiates a different boom control button press, the sequence can stop. This can advantageously allow the operator to have the use of his hands during the sequence.

Agricultural vehicle having a brake pedal interface for controlling an application boom

An agricultural vehicle having a chassis and an application boom coupled to the chassis. The agricultural vehicle is configured to deliver agricultural product to an agricultural field. The application boom has a boom arm. The boom arm includes a longitudinal truss member, and a longitudinal chase supported by the longitudinal truss member. The longitudinal chase includes a channel. The agricultural vehicle further includes an application system. The application system has a product tank supported by the chassis and storing a volume of the agricultural product for delivery onto an agricultural field, a plurality of nozzle bodies, a piping system delivering the agricultural product to the plurality of nozzle bodies, and one or more control lines coupled to the plurality of nozzle bodies and for controlling the plurality of nozzle bodies. The one or more control lines are supported by the channel.

Agricultural vehicle having an improved application boom for supporting an application system

A sprayer boom charging system for an agricultural sprayer is provided that allows a wet boom to be pre-loaded or charged during a charging session with liquid product before starting a spraying session. The boom charging system may deliver liquid product into the boom sections at their downstream ends to flow in a charge-flow or reverse flow direction that is opposite a normal spray delivery flow direction. This purges air from the boom sections and pushes it into the product tank that also collects the purging liquid product so that no liquid product is released onto the ground during the charging session.

Sprayer boom charging system

By using various feedback data on a sprayer system, such as sensed positions of power actuators for turning wheels, an onboard logic controller can be used to fine tune parameters of the steering system in an automatic calibration process. In one aspect, a controller can send an electrical signal to a coil of a hydraulic pump to fully extend a power actuator for turning a wheel in a first direction, then incrementally adjust the signal until a change in position of the power actuator is determined, thereby obtaining a precise magnitude for commanding a full extension of the power actuator. Similarly, the controller can change the signal to fully retract the power actuator for turning the wheel in a second direction, then incrementally adjust the signal until a change in position of the power actuator is determined, thereby obtaining a precise magnitude for commanding a full retraction of the power actuator.

Automatic steering calibration of an agricultural machine

A spray system for an agricultural machine is configured to include a valving arrangement and multiple liquid product lines coupled to spray nozzle assemblies such that the valving arrangement can connect the product lines to the spray nozzle assemblies in different ways to achieve different modes of operation. Such modes can include providing agricultural liquid product flow through the spray nozzle assemblies at differing rates and/or flushing the product through the spray nozzle assemblies in differing directions. This can be achieved by controlling the valving arrangement to selectively connect any of the lines to pump for supplying product, to tank for returning product, or to block the lines to inhibit the flow of product. In one aspect, the product multiple lines can be of different sizes to enable more modes of operation, such as greater or lesser flow rates while spraying.

Spray system for an agricultural machine

The present invention is directed to a spray system for an agricultural machine in which multiple spray nozzles for spraying a liquid product can be dynamically arranged in number and location along a preconfigured rail acting as a boom. Each spray nozzle can include an attachment arrangement for conveniently attaching, tightening, loosening and/or detaching the spray nozzle with respect to the rail. In one aspect, the attachment arrangement can comprise a fastener configured to tighten or loosen a clip with respect to a body for engaging the rail. A separate product line for supplying liquid product to the spray nozzles can flexibly include numerous ports, more than there are spray nozzles, with some ports attaching to spray nozzles via branch lines, and other ports being sealed to inhibit flow.

Spray system with rail mounting for an agricultural machine

By using various feedback data on a sprayer system, such as engine speed, wheel speed, sensed temperatures and/or sensed pressures, an onboard logic controller can be used to fine tune parameters of the driveline system in an automatic calibration process. In one aspect, a controller can drive up engine speed and manipulate electrical current being sent to coils of propel pumps and/or wheel motors as current reaches a point where there is no more change in wheel speed as detected by the system, thereby achieving a. calibration setpoint. Additionally, during the automatic calibration process, the machine as a whole can be monitored with respect to several sensors, such as pressures, temperatures, and the like, so that if any parameter being monitored is out of a predetermined range, the calibration can be stopped and not set.

Automatic driveline calibration for an agricultural machine

An alternative traction control system, in addition to a primary traction control system, is associated with an agricultural machine in which a user selectable input can allow wheels of an the agricultural machine to spin freely, such as for clearing debris from tires, until a predetermined deactivate condition occurs. Such a deactivate condition could comprise, for example, reaching a maximum rotation speed and/or temperature threshold with respect to a wheel. To minimize the risk of damage to propulsion components which may be caused by excessive rotation speeds and/or temperatures, upon reaching such a threshold, operation can return from the alternative traction control system to the primary traction control system. Such a system can therefore allow an 'on the fly' change that would permit an operator to selectively spin the tires without damaging mechanical aspects of the agricultural machine.

Operator input for alternative traction control

Agricultural sprayer overhead information center

Display screen or portion thereof with graphical user interface for driveline calibration

Agricultural machines such as sprayers can be improved by providing a pressure relief system in the operator cab to allow the operator cab to be pressurized while avoiding over-pressurization. The pressure relief system can be arranged to allow air to freely escape from the operator cab during what would otherwise be an over-pressurization event, such as a door or window being closed. In one aspect, the pressure relief system can include a spring-loaded pressure relief valve configured to passively allow air to escape from the cab in order to maintain a cab pressure at or below a predetermined threshold, such as 100 Pascals. In addition, interior and exterior pressures can be monitored for implementing a closed loop control for the pressurization system to enable a more comfortable experience for the operator.

Growing community of inventors

Elkhart Lake, WI, United States of America

Steven N Winkel