The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 12, 2006
Filed:
Mar. 22, 2005
Raymond Dennis Thompson, Waterloo, IA (US);
Peter Alan Kosmicki, Cedar Falls, IA (US);
Jeffrey David Dawson, Cedar Falls, IA (US);
Scott Lisle Cook, Cedar Falls, IA (US);
Edwin Roy Kreis, Waterloo, IA (US);
Michael Dean Kollath, Dunkerton, IA (US);
Joe Lyle Schutte, Cedar Falls, IA (US);
Robert James White, Waterloo, IA (US);
Raymond Dennis Thompson, Waterloo, IA (US);
Peter Alan Kosmicki, Cedar Falls, IA (US);
Jeffrey David Dawson, Cedar Falls, IA (US);
Scott Lisle Cook, Cedar Falls, IA (US);
Edwin Roy Kreis, Waterloo, IA (US);
Michael Dean Kollath, Dunkerton, IA (US);
Joe Lyle Schutte, Cedar Falls, IA (US);
Robert James White, Waterloo, IA (US);
Deere & Company, Moline, IL (US);
Abstract
A draft force sensor is provided for a coupling member coupled between a towing vehicle and a towed earth engaging implement, such as a scraper. The draft force sensor includes first and second bores extending through the coupling member. Each bore has a horizontal axis which extends perpendicular to a main fore-and-aft axis of the coupling member. The second bore is positioned above the first bore and spaced apart from the first bore. Each of the bores is surrounded by an outer cylindrical wall. Four electrical strain gauges are spaced apart and placed on the wall of each of the bores. A center line bisects an axis line which extends between the axes of the first and second bores. The axis of each bore is spaced apart from the center line by a distance which is less than a diameter of the bores. The strain gauges are connected electrically in a circuit which generates a draft force signal in response to draft forces applied to the coupling member.