US 12,317,767 B2
Implement hitch control system
Juergen Mengele, Marktoberdorf (DE); Daniel Muff-Mueller, Marktoberdorf (DE); Gerhard Mariner, Bidingen (DE); and Peter Miller, Marktoberdorf (DE)
Assigned to AGCO International GmbH, Neuhausen (CH)
Appl. No. 17/597,334
Filed by AGCO International GmbH, Neuhausen (CH)
PCT Filed Jun. 1, 2020, PCT No. PCT/EP2020/065114
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jan. 3, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/001101, PCT Pub. Date Jan. 7, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 1909474 (GB), filed on Jul. 1, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0240428 A1, Aug. 4, 2022
Int. Cl. A01B 63/114 (2006.01)
CPC A01B 63/114 (2013.01) 9 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A control system for an implement hitch of an agricultural vehicle, wherein the hitch is mounted to the vehicle and includes one or more actuators operable to raise and lower the hitch between minimum and maximum heights relative to the vehicle and hold the hitch static at one or more heights between the minimum and maximum heights, the control system comprising:
a rocker control device having a first operating position and being movable in a first direction to a first limit position and in a second direction to a second limit position; and
an electronic control unit (ECU) connected to the rocker control device and configured to control operation of each of the actuators and thereby control raising and lowering of the hitch in response to operation of the rocker control device;
wherein the ECU is operable to control raising and lowering of the hitch to move it to a selected one of at least two previously stored positions between the minimum and maximum heights, and to switch between the previously stored positions in response to a predetermined first actuation operation of the rocker control device,
wherein the ECU is configured to operate in a position control mode in which a resultant position of the hitch is determined by a position setpoint determined by the ECU, and
wherein the ECU is configured to receive and store the at least two previously stored positions and to set one of the previously stored positions as the position setpoint in response to the first predetermined actuation operation of the rocker control device, and thereafter to move the hitch to the position setpoint.