DE102020118528A1 - Agricultural spreading machine, preferably a field sprayer or fertilizer spreader - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an agricultural spreading machine, preferably a field sprayer or a pneumatic fertilizer spreader. The distribution machine (1) comprises a distribution linkage (3) for spreading material, having a central part (3a) and two lateral arms (3b, 3c), which are each rotatably connected to the central part (3a) via a vertical pivot axis (V). . Each boom (3b, 3c) is assigned a pressure medium-actuated adjusting device (8) with two active areas (14, 15) that act essentially in opposite directions, by means of which an adjusting force can be generated in order to rotate the boom about the vertical pivot axis (V) relative to the central part (3a ) to move. In order to control and/or regulate the pressure or volume flow present in the respective effective area (14, 15), each effective area (14, 15) is assigned a valve device which is designed to absorb fluctuations in the an to automatically regulate the pressure or volume flow present in the respective effective area (14, 15) and for this purpose has a pressure medium control valve (20, 21) and/or is designed as a pressure medium control valve (20, 21). As a result, horizontal vibrations of the distributor linkage can be efficiently dampened.

Description

The invention relates to an agricultural spreading machine, preferably a field sprayer or a pneumatic fertilizer spreader. Generic agricultural distribution machines include a carrier vehicle and a distributor linkage for spreading material such as fertilizers, crop protection agents or seed and means for damping horizontal vibrations of the distributor linkage.

In order to spread the material over a large area on the field soil to be processed, distributor linkages of such distributor machines have lateral booms with a large working width, sometimes more than twenty meters. On the booms are application means, e.g. B. spray nozzles for field sprayers arranged. Such wide sprayer booms are folded and folded around vertical axes for transport. In this case, each boom can have a plurality of linkage sections which can be folded in to one another in the transport position and folded out in the working position and are connected by joints.

Especially with distributor linkages with a large working width, it can happen that the distributor linkage or the boom can move or swing about the vertical axes in the direction of travel or opposite to the direction of travel, so that a homogeneous material application can no longer be reliably guaranteed.

These movements can be caused in many ways, for example by steering movements of the field sprayer, by unevenness in the soil structure to be processed, or by changes in the speed of the field sprayer, ie by acceleration or deceleration. The oscillating movements sometimes produce very high forces on the vertical axes.

Accordingly, for efficient material application and to avoid high mechanical loads on the distributor linkage, it is generally advantageous to dampen occurring horizontal vibrations of the distributor linkage as quickly as possible.

From the disclosure document WO 2018/162 545 A1 An approach to damping unwanted horizontal yawing and pitching movements of a spray boom is known, with the respective horizontal movements of the boom segments being detected by means of a pressure sensor in a pressure medium circuit of hydraulically operated actuating cylinders and, based on a differential pressure, a respective hydraulic cylinder corresponding to the damping of the detected movements by means of proportional directional valves movements is controlled.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved approach for damping horizontal movements or vibrations of a distributor linkage of an agricultural distributor, with which disadvantages of conventional techniques can be avoided. The object of the invention is in particular to provide a particularly fast and at the same time cost-efficient technology for damping horizontal movements or vibrations of a distributor linkage.

These objects are solved by an agricultural spreading machine with the features of the independent claim. Advantageous developments are specified in the dependent claims and the description.

According to a general aspect, the present disclosure relates to a mobile agricultural spreader, also referred to below for short as a spreader. The mobile agricultural spreader can be a field sprayer or a pneumatic fertilizer spreader. The distribution machine includes a distributor linkage for spreading material such as fertilizers, crop protection products or seeds. The distributor linkage has a central part and two lateral booms (hereinafter also referred to as boom arms), which are each rotatably connected to the central part via a vertical pivot axis. The distributor linkage has a large working width, i. H. a working width that is significantly larger than a width of the carrier vehicle, e.g. B. is a multiple of the width of the carrier vehicle. The working width of the distributor linkage, i. H. the width in the working position or when fully unfolded can be at least 18 meters.

Each boom can in turn have several linkage sections that can be folded in to each other in the transport position and folded out in the working position and connected by joints, so that each of the two booms can be folded several times by folding the respective linkage sections at the joint points by 180° for the transport position or by folding them in for the working position stretched position to be unfolded. When unfolded, the distributor linkage extends transversely to the direction of travel of the distributor.

The distributor linkage can also be arranged directly or indirectly on the carrier vehicle in a manner known per se about a pivot axis running in the direction of travel, in order to be able to adapt to a changed soil profile.

Each cantilever is associated with a fluid-actuated adjusting device with two effective areas that act essentially in opposite directions. With An actuating force can be generated by means of the actuating device in order to move the boom about the vertical pivot axis relative to the central part. The fluid-actuated adjusting device comprises at least one fluid-actuated actuator.

Normally, the fluid-actuated actuators are used to pivot the boom arms of the sprayer boom back and forth between the transport and work positions. In addition, due to their dynamic properties and their sensitive controllability, the adjusting means can be used as damping elements in order to dampen undesirable horizontal vibrations of the distributor linkage, which is described below.

In this case, an electrically actuated valve device is assigned to each effective area in order to control and/or regulate a pressure or volume flow which is applied to the respective active area of the pressure medium-actuated actuating device.

According to the invention, the valve device is designed to automatically compensate for fluctuations in the pressure or volumetric flow present at the respective effective area, which are generated by horizontal oscillations of the distributor linkage, in order to counteract the horizontal oscillation. For this purpose, the valve device has a pressure medium control valve and/or the valve device is designed as a pressure medium control valve, preferably as a pressure control valve.

A special advantage lies in the fact that undesired horizontal vibrations are corrected by the pressure medium control valves themselves. In contrast to proportional directional control valves, pressure medium control valves can independently compensate for pressure fluctuations that occur. If the electric control signal of the pressure medium control valves is kept constant during working operation of the distribution machine, and if there are fluctuations in the pressure or volume flow present at the respective effective area, induced by movements or vibrations of the boom in and/or opposite to the direction of travel, these fluctuations are recorded by the pressure medium control valve and corrected directly.

An additional pressure sensor system in the pressure medium circuit of the actuating device can be dispensed with, which enables cost advantages. Furthermore, an increase in the control speed is achieved. This is because direct compensation by the pressure medium control valves is faster than the prior art detection of pressure fluctuations with an additional pressure sensor system, with subsequent transmission to a control unit and processing by the latter, in order to then, in response to this, send a corresponding control signal to the valves by the control device output to counteract the pressure fluctuation.

Accordingly, a particularly preferred embodiment provides that no pressure medium sensor, in particular no pressure sensor and/or no differential pressure sensor, is arranged in the pressure medium circuit outside the pressure medium control valves and/or is used to control the pressure medium control valves. In this respect, the costs for such a pressure sensor system can be avoided.

The “effective range” of the setting device or actuator denotes a region of the setting device or actuator in which the pressure force of pressure medium is converted or can be converted into a movement of a control element of the setting device or actuator. “Two essentially oppositely acting” active areas should be understood to mean that a pressure force from pressure medium in one active area generates an adjustment force on the associated boom in one direction about the vertical pivot axis and a pressure force from pressure medium in the other active area generates an adjustment force on the associated boom generated in the opposite direction about the vertical pivot axis. In other words, a pressure medium control valve is used for each direction for the horizontal pivoting of the respective boom.

The adjusting device can comprise a double-acting fluidic pressure medium cylinder to form the two active areas that act essentially in opposite directions. An embodiment as a double-acting hydraulic cylinder is particularly advantageous. A pressure medium line segment can be connected to each effective area, through which a pressure medium can be supplied to and removed from the effective areas, and the pressure medium control valve for controlling a pressure or volumetric flow present at the respective effective area is arranged in each pressure medium line segment.

According to a particularly advantageous embodiment, the pressure medium control valves are designed as pressure control valves, for example as electromagnetically controlled proportional pressure control valves. As an alternative to pressure regulation in the effective areas, volume flow regulation can also be implemented. According to this variant, the pressure medium control valves can be designed as volume flow control valves, for example as electromagnetically controlled volume flow control valves.

In a further embodiment, at least one is arranged on the distributor linkage Sensor for detecting a movement and / or vibration of the distributor linkage provided in and opposite to the direction of travel.

Furthermore, the distribution machine can have a control device that is designed to determine a setpoint value of a pressure acting on the effective areas or an actuating force of the pressure medium acting on the effective areas as a function of a movement and/or vibration of the distributor linkage detected by the at least one sensor and the Adjust pressure medium control valves each electrically controlled to the setpoint.

The controller may use this sensor data to pivot the boom arms of the sprayer boom back and forth between the transport and work positions. In addition, the sensor data can also be used to detect undesired horizontal vibrations of the distributor linkage and subsequently to dampen them, in addition to the self-regulation of such horizontal vibrations already carried out by the pressure medium control valves.

A particular advantage of this embodiment is that a two-loop controller structure is provided to compensate for movements and/or vibrations of the distributor linkage in and opposite to the direction of travel. The two-loop controller structure includes an outer control circuit, with the control device and the at least one sensor being used to determine the setpoint specification and the energization of the valve devices and appropriately adapt them to the horizontal movements and/or vibrations directly detected by sensors on the distributor linkage in order to counteract them. The two-loop controller structure also includes an inner control loop, with changes in the pressure or volume in an effective range also being independently corrected by means of the associated pressure medium control valve in accordance with the setpoint specification.

The at least one sensor arranged on the distributor linkage can comprise a sensor arranged on the middle part of the distributor linkage for detecting a rotational position of the middle part about a vertical axis relative to a chassis of the distributor machine. This sensor can be designed, for example, as a yaw rate sensor or gyroscope, with which the rotational position of the central part relative to the chassis or carrier vehicle of the distribution machine can be determined. The gyroscope can also be used to determine the rotational position of the middle section around a horizontal axis. To determine the angular position values, the determined angular rate values of the sensor are integrated over time.

The at least one sensor arranged on the distributor linkage can alternatively or additionally include a sensor arranged between the central part and one of the booms for detecting a rotational position of the boom about the vertical pivot axis, which is preferably designed as an angle potentiometer. With this, horizontal oscillations of the boom and the transition from the folded to the fully unfolded position (working position) can be precisely monitored and controlled.

It has already been mentioned above that each boom can have several linkage sections which can be folded in to one another in the transport position and folded out in the working position and are connected by joints. In a further variant of this embodiment, the at least one sensor arranged on the distributor linkage can comprise a sensor arranged between two adjacent linkage sections for detecting a rotational position of the linkage sections relative to one another, which is preferably designed as an angle potentiometer. With this, horizontal relative movements of the individual linkage sections can also be detected and taken into account accordingly in the horizontal damping.

In a further embodiment, the control device can be designed to adjust the pressure medium control valves to the specified setpoint value in an electrically controlled manner using a predetermined characteristic curve of the pressure medium control valves. The characteristic curve of the pressure medium control valve establishes a relationship between the specified setpoint and the electrical control signal, e.g. B. the energization of the pressure medium control valves. This has the advantage that the pressure on the distributor linkage can be precisely adjusted to the setpoint specification via the characteristic curve of the pressure medium control valves.

The pressure medium control valves then work in such a way that the desired setpoint specification is set at the respective effective range, e.g. B. where the desired pressure or flow rate occurs. The characteristic curve can be stored in the control device or in a data memory of the agricultural machine. A characteristic curve can be stored that applies to both pressure medium control valves if these z. B. are identical. A separate characteristic curve can also be stored for each pressure medium control valve. If, for example, the setpoint specification determined from the rotational position specifies which pressure or volume flow of the pressure medium is required at the effective areas, the electrical control signal of the pressure medium control valves, e.g. B. their energization, determined and used for active control and / or regulation of the rotational position of the distributor linkage. If only an example of a defined Dif If there is a reference pressure or a defined differential force at the effective areas, the pressure medium control valves, which in particular work in opposite directions, are controlled electrically based on the characteristic curve(s) stored in the control device, and a defined differential pressure or a defined differential force is thus generated.

It was already established above that preferably no pressure sensor and/or no differential pressure sensor is arranged in the pressure medium circuit outside the pressure medium control valves, in particular the pressure medium line sections of the pressure medium-actuated actuating device, and/or is used to control the pressure medium control valves.

Correspondingly, in a further embodiment, the control device is designed to determine the setpoint specification without a sensor-detected pressure value or volume flow value of the pressure medium. Furthermore, the control device can be designed to determine a control current for activating the pressure medium control valves exclusively on the basis of the characteristic curve and the rotational position of the sensor device or a variable calculated therefrom. This offers the advantage that particularly cost-effective and fast control and/or regulation for damping horizontal vibrations is made possible. It is again emphasized that horizontal vibrations are also damped in phases in which the control device keeps the electrical control signal of the pressure medium control valves constant, in that fluctuations in pressure or volume generated by these vibrations in the effective areas are recognized by the pressure medium control valves and independently corrected.

In a further embodiment, the control device can be designed to variably set a damping characteristic for damping vibrations in and opposite to the direction of travel of the pressure medium-actuated actuating device, in particular variably as a function of a determined travel movement or generally determined movement parameters of the agricultural distributor. As a result, the vibration behavior of the linkage can be dynamically adjusted and the adjustment can be adjusted to the driving situation. According to this embodiment, the control device can thus be designed to determine a control current for activating the pressure medium control valves exclusively based on the characteristic curve, based on the rotational position of the sensor device or a variable calculated therefrom and based on the determined travel movement or generally determined movement parameters of the agricultural distribution machine.

The variable setting of the damping characteristics can preferably be effected by changing a spring deflection and/or an elasticity of the pressure-medium-actuated adjusting device, in particular if the adjusting device is designed as a pressure-medium-actuated adjusting cylinder. Here, the adjusting cylinder can be controlled via the valve device during field travel in such a way that the working range of the piston lies between the two end positions and remains at a distance from this. In order to change the spring deflection, the working range can be enlarged or reduced and a spring deflection or elasticity can be increased or reduced accordingly in order to change the damping characteristics.

For example, the control device for the variable setting of the damping characteristic can be designed to set a different damping characteristic when the agricultural spreader is accelerated or decelerated than when the agricultural spreader is traveling at a constant speed. Here, by means of a suitable sensor, z. B. a radar sensor, it can be determined whether the vehicle is driving at a constant or changing driving speed. For example, when driving at a constant speed, the spring deflection and elasticity can be reduced in order to provide a relatively stiff suspension.

For example, the control device for variable setting of the damping characteristic can also be designed to set a different damping characteristic when the agricultural spreader is cornering than when driving straight ahead. For example, when driving straight ahead, the spring deflection and the elasticity can be reduced.

When cornering or accelerating, the spring deflection and elasticity can be increased in order to avoid excessive forces acting on the distributor linkage. An exemplary implementation of such an adjustment of the damping characteristics is in the patent EP 2 829 177 B1 described.

In a further embodiment, the control device can be designed to use the values determined by the at least one sensor only to control the folding in and out of the distributor linkage. In this variant, horizontal movements and/or vibrations of the distributor linkage in the unfolded state are regulated or dampened exclusively by the pressure medium control valves.

In a further embodiment, the control device can be designed to only use the values determined by the at least one sensor when the distributor linkage is in the unfolded state to change the actuation of the pressure medium control valves if the movement and/or vibration of the distributor linkage detected using the at least one sensor exceeds the specified threshold. In other words, in this optional variant, smaller vibrations are only corrected by the pressure medium control valves, so that the "outer control circuit" only intervenes in the event of larger vibrations detected by sensors on the distributor linkage and/or deviations of the distributor linkage from a target position. With this, the control efficiency can be further improved.

It has already been mentioned above that the agricultural spreading machine can be a field sprayer. According to this embodiment, the distributor linkage is a sprayer linkage with booms protruding on both sides of the carrier vehicle and with application means arranged and/or connectable to a store for at least one liquid and/or solid active ingredient, such as spray nozzles connected and/or connectable to a spray agent tank .

The agricultural machine can be a pneumatic fertilizer spreader for distributing granular fertilizers, with a reservoir for the fertilizer to be distributed, a metering device connected thereto and a distributor which is connected to the metering device via a pneumatic delivery line and a plurality of spaced-apart spreading devices having, which are arranged along the distributor linkage.

The agricultural distribution machine can be designed as a self-propelled agricultural distribution machine or as an agricultural distribution machine that can be coupled or pulled by means of a towing vehicle or can be attached and/or attached to a towing vehicle. The self-propelled distribution machine can also be an autonomous agricultural machine, for example a fully autonomous or semi-autonomous agricultural machine.

• 1 eine perspektivische Ansicht einer landwirtschaftlichen Verteilmaschine mit Verteilergestänge im ausgeklappten Zustand;
• 2 eine Seitenansicht der Verteilmaschine mit Verteilergestänge im eingeklappten Zustand;
• 3 eine schematische Prinzipdarstellung eines Hydraulikschaltplans zur Dämpfung von Horizontalschwingungen des Verteilergestänges gemäß einem Ausführungsbeispiel; und
• 4 eine Kennlinie zur Ansteuerung der Druckregelventile gemäß einem Ausführungsbeispiel.

The preferred embodiments and features of the invention described above can be combined with one another as desired. Further details and advantages of the invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Show it:

• 1 a perspective view of an agricultural distributor with distributor linkage in the unfolded state;
• 2 a side view of the distributor with distributor linkage in the folded state;
• 3 a schematic basic representation of a hydraulic circuit diagram for damping horizontal vibrations of the distributor linkage according to an embodiment; and
• 4 a characteristic for controlling the pressure control valves according to an embodiment.

Identical or functionally equivalent elements are partially denoted by the same reference symbols in the figures and partially not separately described.

1 shows a perspective view of a mobile agricultural spreader 1 according to an embodiment of the invention: The agricultural spreader is designed as a trailed field sprayer, for example. The distribution machine 1 comprises a carrier vehicle 2 and a distribution linkage 3, which extends transversely to the direction of travel F when folded out, for applying fertilizer or pesticides.

The distributor linkage 3 is arranged on the carrier vehicle 2 such that it can move about a pivot axis A running in the direction of travel, illustrated by the dashed line. The distributor linkage 3, referred to as a sprayer linkage in a field sprayer, comprises a central part 3a and two booms 3b, 3c projecting on both sides of the carrier vehicle 2. Distributed and spaced apart along the spray boom are application means 4 in the form of spray nozzles, which are fluidically connected via lines to a spray tank arranged in the carrier vehicle 2 . Furthermore, distance sensors in the form of ultrasonic sensors can be arranged on each boom 3b, 3c, which measure the distance of the linkage from the ground or from the vegetation.

The distributor linkage 3 is fastened to the carrier vehicle 2 via a frame-like carrier 11, for example. In this case, the distributor linkage is suspended from a suspension of the carrier 11 and is fastened to the carrier 11 so that it can pivot. The carrier 11 is attached by means of a parallelogram linkage 10 in a height-adjustable manner relative to the carrier vehicle 2 or in a height-adjustable manner relative to a floor surface. For height adjustment, a linear drive 7 in the form of a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder is assigned to the parallelogram linkage 10 in such a way that the height distance between the distributor linkage 3 and a ground surface or a plant stand can be variably changed. The carrier 11 cannot be pivoted about the pivot axis A, but the distributor linkage 3 arranged to be pivotable about the axis of rotation A on the suspension on the carrier 11 .

The distributor linkage 3 is in 1 shown in the unfolded state and extends in this state transversely to the direction of travel F of the distribution machine 1. The two arms 3b, 3c are each rotatably connected via a vertical pivot axis V to the central part 3a. Each boom 3b, 3c in turn has a plurality of linkage sections which can be folded in to one another in the transport position and folded out in the working position and are connected by joints. For transport trips, such wide spray booms 3 are folded and collapsed, which in 2 is shown.

Due to the large working width of the distributor linkage 3, it can happen during operation that the distributor linkage or the boom can move or vibrate in the direction of travel F or in the opposite direction to the direction of travel, so that homogeneous material application is no longer reliably guaranteed. This is schematic in 1 illustrated by the arrows marked with the reference symbol S. These movements can be caused in many ways, for example by steering movements of the field sprayer, by unevenness in the soil structure to be processed, or by changes in the speed of the field sprayer, ie by acceleration or deceleration. The oscillating movements sometimes produce very high forces on the vertical axes.

Accordingly, for efficient material application and to avoid high mechanical loads on the distributor linkage, it is generally advantageous to dampen occurring horizontal vibrations of the distributor linkage as quickly as possible.

3 shows a plan view of the distributor linkage 3 in the upper part. The two booms 3b, 3c are each rotatably connected to the central part 3a via a vertical pivot axis V, the booms each being rotatable with the Central part 3a is coupled.

The hydraulic cylinders 12 marked in the upper part by the circles are in the lower part of the 3 shown again enlarged, as part of a schematic basic representation of a hydraulic circuit diagram for damping horizontal vibrations of the distributor linkage according to an embodiment.

As in the lower part of the 3 As can be seen, each boom 3b, 3c is assigned a pressure-medium-actuated adjusting device 8 with two essentially oppositely acting active areas 14, 15, by means of which an adjusting force can be generated in order to move the boom about the vertical pivot axis V relative to the central part 3a. The actuating device 8 comprises an actuating cylinder in the form of the double-acting hydraulic cylinder 12 to form the two effective areas 14, 15. The hydraulic cylinders are connected at one end to a support element of the central part 3 and at the other end to the respective boom 3b or 3c. The effective area 14 (or 15) of the adjusting cylinder 12 (or 13) corresponds to the area of the adjusting cylinder in which the pressure force generated by the pressure medium is converted into a movement of the piston 13 of the adjusting cylinder 12, 13. By means of the adjusting device 8, the respective boom 3b, 3c and thus the distributor linkage 3 can be transferred from a transport position to a working position and vice versa. Furthermore, horizontal vibrations can be dampened in the unfolded state.

To generate a pressure acting on the piston rod of the actuating cylinders 12, 13, the effective areas 14, 15 are connected to a pressure medium circuit 16. For this purpose, a pressure medium line section 17, 18 is connected to each effective area 14, 15, through which a pressure medium, here hydraulic fluid, can be supplied to and removed from the effective areas 14, 15. In each pressure medium line segment 17, 18 there is a pressure control valve 20, 21 for controlling a pressure applied to the respective effective area 14, 15. The two pressure control valves 20, 21 are designed as electromagnetically controlled proportional pressure control valves. Other components of the fluid circuit, such as the pump and fluid reservoir, are designed in a manner known per se and are not shown.

A compressive force of the pressure medium in one effective area 14 generates an adjustment force on the associated boom in one direction about the vertical pivot axis V, and a compressive force of pressure medium in the other effective area 15 generates an adjusting force on this boom in the opposite direction about the pivot axis V. The pressure and correspondingly the actuating force in the effective area 14 are set by the pressure control valve 20 . The pressure and correspondingly the actuating force in the effective area 15 are set by the pressure control valve 21 . The horizontal rotary position of the extension arms 3b, 3c relative to the central part 3a can thus be influenced by controlling the pressure medium pressure applied to the effective areas 14, 15 or the actuating cylinders 12, 13.

In order to control and/or regulate a pressure applied to the respective effective area 14, 15, each effective area 14 or 15 has a Valve device assigned in the form of a pressure control valve 20 and 21 respectively. The pressure control valves 20, 21 offer the advantage that fluctuations in the pressure or volume flow present at the respective effective area 14, 15 caused by horizontal vibrations S of the distributor linkage 3 are automatically corrected by the pressure control valves 20, 21.

As in 3 can be seen, no pressure sensor and no differential pressure sensor in the pressure medium circuit 16 outside of the pressure medium control valves 20, 21 is arranged. No pressure sensor is used to control the pressure medium control valves 20, 21, which will be discussed in more detail below.

Furthermore, a gyroscope 5 is provided on the central part 3a, the measured values of which are used to determine a rotational position, in particular also a horizontal rotational position, of the central part 3a relative to the chassis or the carrier vehicle 2 . Furthermore, an angle potentiometer 6 is arranged between the central part 3a and the arms 3b, 3c in order to determine the horizontal rotational position of the arms 3b, 3c relative to the central part 3a.

The distribution machine 1 also includes a control device 9 (control unit) for controlling and/or regulating a rotational position of the arms 3b, 3c relative to the central part 3a. The control device 9 represents a data processing unit and is in communication with the pressure control valves 20, 21 in order to actuate them electrically. On the input side, the control device 9 receives measured values from the sensors 5 and 6 arranged on the distributor linkage 3.

A characteristic curve K is stored in the control device 9 for each of the pressure control valves 20, 21, which defines a relationship between the specified setpoint value and the electrical control signal of the pressure medium control valves 20, 21, which is 4 is illustrated schematically. The control device 9 is designed to set the pressure medium control valves 20, 21 in each case in an electrically controlled manner using the characteristic curve K to the setpoint specification.

The hydraulic cylinders 12 have two differently sized effective surfaces 14, 15 on the two sides of the piston 13, since the effective surface 14 of the hydraulic cylinder 12 facing the piston rod is smaller than the effective surface 15 facing away from the piston rod 13. This is the case when the pressure control valves 20, 21 is taken into account by the control device 9 as part of a print offset.

If the control device 9 keeps the electrical control signal for the pressure control valves 20, 21 constant, the pressure control valves 20, 21 automatically regulate fluctuations in the pressure present at the respective effective area 14, 15, which are generated by horizontal vibrations S of the distributor linkage 3. In this respect, the pressure control valves 20, 21 can damp horizontal vibrations of the distributor linkage directly and independently without the control device 9 having to actively intervene, which enables a particularly rapid damping reaction to horizontal vibrations that occur.

The control device 9 only specifies a setpoint value in the form of a control current for activating the pressure medium control valves, which is determined without a pressure value of the pressure medium detected by sensors. For example, the control current for controlling the pressure medium control valves 20, 21 can be determined solely on the basis of the characteristic curve and the movement and/or vibration S of the distributor linkage 3 detected by the sensors 5, 6 arranged on the distributor linkage in and opposite to the direction of travel F or a variable calculated therefrom.

The “inner control circuit” implemented by means of the pressure control valves 20, 21 can automatically or directly correct any pressure fluctuations that occur. This is represented by the line connection on the pressure control valve 20, 21 identified by reference number 22. Additional pressure sensors are therefore not necessary. The forces thus keep themselves in balance. This enables fast damping of horizontal vibrations, so that these are often not even detected by the sensors 5 and 6, which are arranged on the distributor linkage 3.

If, for example, horizontal movements S of the booms 3b, 3c cause brief "pressure peaks" in the effective areas 14, 15, these are immediately corrected by means of the pressure control valves 20, 21 directly and without the control device 9 having to do anything. Only when control device 9, based on the measured values for the current horizontal position of distributor linkage 3 transmitted by sensors 5 and 6, detects a major deviation of distributor linkage 3 from a current horizontal target position, does control device 9 determine a new target value specification for the horizontal position of distributor linkage 3, which based on the characteristic curve K in the form of a changed control current for controlling pressure control valves 20, 21 is used. In this way, horizontal vibrations detected by sensors can be damped directly on the distributor linkage 3 . This damping effect, which is controlled by the control device 9, is superimposed on the damping effect which is generated by the continuous adjustment of the pressure control valves, which is constantly active during driving operation.

Optionally, the pressure medium circuit can also have a load pressure reporting system, which can be designed in a manner known per se in order to suitably adapt the pressure and/or volume flow of the hydraulic pump (not shown) to the current load situation. In the 3 The dashed components 23-26 are part of the optional load pressure reporting system 23. Excessive pressure can be fed back to the load pressure reporting system via the shuttle valve 25 and the check valve 26 by opening the check valve 26 in order to expediently measure a delivery volume or adjust the pressure of the hydraulic pump.

Optionally, the control device 9 can also be designed to variably set a damping characteristic for damping vibrations in and opposite to the direction of travel of the actuating device actuated by pressure medium, as described above. The damping characteristics are variably adjusted by changing the spring deflection of the hydraulic cylinders 12. The spring deflection is set differently for driving straight ahead vs. cornering and for driving with constant vs. accelerated or braked travel of the distribution machine 1.

The invention is not limited to the preferred embodiments described above. Rather, a large number of variants and modifications are possible, which also make use of the idea of the invention and therefore fall within the scope of protection. In particular, the invention also claims protection for the subject matter and the features of the subclaims independently of the claims referred to.

Reference List

1

Agricultural spreading machine, e.g. B. trailed field sprayer

2

carrier vehicle

3

distributor linkage

3a

center part

3b, 3c

boom

4

spreading means

5

Yaw rate sensor, e.g. B. Gyroscope

6

rotary position sensor, e.g. B. Angle potentiometer

7

lifting cylinder

8th

Fluid-actuated control device

9

control device

10

Height-adjustable parallelogram linkage

11

carrier

12

adjusting cylinder, e.g. B. double-acting hydraulic cylinder

13

Pistons

14

First effective range

15

Second effective range

16

pressure medium circuit

17

Pressure line route

18

Pressure line route

20

pressure control valve

21

pressure control valve

22

control line

23

Load pressure reporting system

24

load pressure line

25

shuttle valve

26

check valve

A

Horizontal pivot axis

f

driving direction

K

curve

V

Vertical pivot axis

S

horizontal movement

QUOTES INCLUDED IN DESCRIPTION

This list of documents cited by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Patent Literature Cited

• WO 2018/162545 A1 [0006]
• EP 2829177 B1 [0037]

Claims (15)

Mobile agricultural spreading machine (1), preferably comprising a field sprayer or a pneumatic fertilizer spreader a distributor linkage (3) for spreading material, such as fertilisers, plant protection products or seeds, having a central part (3a) and two lateral arms (3b, 3c), which are each rotatably connected to the central part (3a) via a vertical pivot axis (V). are; each boom (3b, 3c) being assigned a pressure medium-actuated adjusting device (8) with two active areas (14, 15) which act essentially in opposite directions, by means of which an adjusting force can be generated in order to rotate the boom about the vertical pivot axis (V) relative to the central part ( 3a), wherein a valve device is assigned to each effective area (14, 15) for the control and/or regulation of a pressure or volumetric flow present at the respective effective area (14, 15), which valve device is designed to cause horizontal vibrations (S) of the distributor linkage ( 3) automatically correcting generated fluctuations in the pressure or volume flow present in the respective effective area (14, 15) and for this purpose has a pressure medium control valve (20, 21) and/or is designed as a pressure medium control valve (20, 21). Agricultural distribution machine (1) after claim 1 , wherein no pressure medium sensor, in particular no pressure sensor and/or no differential pressure sensor, is arranged in the pressure medium circuit outside the pressure medium control valves (20, 21) and/or is used to control the pressure medium control valves (20, 21). Agricultural distribution machine (1) after claim 1 or 2 , further comprising a) at least one on the distributor linkage (3) arranged sensor (5, 6) for detecting a movement and / or vibration (S) of the distributor linkage in and opposite to the direction of travel (F); and b) a control device (9) which is designed, depending on a movement and/or vibration of the distributor linkage (3) detected by the at least one sensor (5, 6), to specify a target value for a system acting on the effective areas (14, 15). Pressure or an actuating force of the pressure medium acting on the effective areas (14, 15) and to set the pressure medium control valves (20, 21) in each case in an electrically controlled manner to the setpoint specification. Agricultural distribution machine (1) after claim 3 , wherein the at least one sensor (5) arranged on the distributor linkage (3) comprises a sensor (5) arranged on the central part (3a) for detecting a rotational position of the central part about a vertical axis relative to a chassis of the agricultural distribution machine, which is preferably designed as a gyroscope . Agricultural distribution machine (1) after claim 3 or 4 wherein the at least one sensor arranged on the distributor linkage (3) comprises a sensor (6) arranged between the central part and one of the booms for detecting a rotational position of the boom about the vertical pivot axis, which sensor is preferably designed as an angle potentiometer. Agricultural spreading machine (1) according to one of claims 3 until 5 , wherein the control device (9) is designed to set the pressure medium control valves (20, 21) in an electrically controlled manner to the setpoint value based on a predetermined characteristic curve (K) of the pressure medium control valves (20, 21), the characteristic curve (K) of the pressure medium control valves (20, 21) establishes a relationship between the setpoint specification and the electrical activation signal of the pressure medium control valves (20, 21). Agricultural distribution machine (1) after claim 6 , wherein the control device (9) is designed, a) to determine the setpoint specification without a sensor-detected pressure value or volume flow value of the pressure medium; and/or b) a control current for activating the pressure medium control valves (20, 21) exclusively on the basis of the characteristic curve and the movement and/or vibration (S) of the distributor linkage (3) detected by the at least one sensor (5, 6) arranged on the distributor linkage and opposite to the direction of travel (F) or to determine a variable calculated therefrom. Agricultural spreading machine (1) according to one of claims 3 until 7 , wherein the control device (9) is designed to variably set a damping characteristic for damping vibrations in and opposite to the direction of travel of the pressure medium-actuated adjusting device (8) as a function of a determined travel movement of the agricultural distribution machine (1). Agricultural distribution machine (1) after claim 8 , wherein the variable setting of the damping characteristics is effected by changing a spring deflection and/or an elasticity of the pressure medium-actuated adjusting device (8). Agricultural distribution machine (1) after claim 8 or 9 , wherein the control device (9) is designed, a) when accelerating or decelerating the agricultural distribution machine (1) to set a different damping characteristic than when a driving the agricultural spreading machine (1) at a constant speed; and/or b) setting a different damping characteristic when the agricultural spreader (1) is cornering than when driving straight ahead. Agricultural spreading machine (1) according to one of claims 3 until 10 , each boom (3b, 3c) having a plurality of linkage sections that can be folded in to one another in the transport position and folded out in the working position and connected by joints, the at least one sensor arranged on the distributor linkage comprising a sensor arranged between two adjacent linkage sections for detecting a rotational position of the linkage sections relative to one another, the is preferably designed as an angle potentiometer. Agricultural spreading machine (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the pressure medium control valves (20, 21) a) are designed as pressure control valves (20, 21), preferably as electromagnetically controlled proportional pressure control valves (20, 21); or b) are designed as volume flow control valves, preferably electromagnetically controlled volume flow control valves. Agricultural spreading machine (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the adjusting device (8) for forming the two essentially oppositely acting active areas (14, 15) comprises a double-acting fluidic pressure medium cylinder, preferably a double-acting hydraulic cylinder (12). Agricultural spreading machine (1) according to one of claims 3 until 13 , wherein the control device (9) is designed to use the values determined by the at least one sensor (5, 6) a) only to control the folding in and out of the distributor linkage (3); or b) in the unfolded state of the distributor linkage (3) only to be used to change the actuation of the pressure medium control valves (20, 21) if the movement and/or vibration of the distributor linkage (3) detected by the at least one sensor exceeds a specified threshold value. Agricultural distribution machine (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a pressure medium line section (17, 18) is connected to each effective area (14, 15), through which a pressure medium can be supplied to and removed from the active areas (14, 15), and the pressure medium control valve (20, 21) for controlling a pressure or volume flow present in the respective effective region (14, 15) is arranged in each pressure medium line stretch (17, 18).

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