WO2014095159A1

WO2014095159A1 - Implement control device on a vehicle

Info

Publication number: WO2014095159A1
Application number: PCT/EP2013/073487
Authority: WO
Inventors: Joris Jan Hiddema
Original assignee: Agco Netherlands Bv
Priority date: 2012-12-21
Filing date: 2013-11-11
Publication date: 2014-06-26
Also published as: WO2014095160A1

Abstract

A joystick (15) for controlling an agricultural vehicle, which vehicle is operably connectable to two or more agricultural implements and has connection means connectable to each such implement. The joystick (15) is provided with one or more user operable control devices (48) for operation of the vehicle, and further comprises one or more control devices (42) for control of a connected implement provided in a detachable control module (18M). Separate implements for connection to the vehicle are provided with respective control modules.

Description

Implement Control Device on a Vehicle

The invention relates to control systems for vehicles, and especially to systems for controlling implements attached to agricultural vehicles.

In recent years there has been a great increase in the complexity and functionality of implements that are designed to be attached to agricultural vehicles. Agricultural vehicles such as farm tractors are designed to use implements ranging from simple ploughs to more complex devices such as balers and seeders. In these latter cases, the implement is not simply towed, but instead comprises a variety of controllable processes (adjusting bale density, feed rates, implement depth etc) driven by hydraulic, mechanical and/or electrical actuators on the implement which the operator of the vehicle will need to control for optimum performance. Some of these process settings for the implement may be set up at the start of an operation (e.g. on entering a field), but others will need adjusting from time to time within the field.

To further optimise performance, the settings of implement actuators should be adjustable from the cab or operator station of the driving vehicle, such that the operator need not stop operation and leave the vehicle. In support of this aim, efforts have been made to standardise electrical communications over a data bus between vehicle and implement, culminating in the ISOBUS standard (ISO1 1783), derived from the CANBUS system from the automotive field, specialised for the connection of agricultural vehicles and implements.

With the wide range of implements available to a user of an agricultural vehicle, and the varying range of capabilities and functionalities of such implements, it is clearly impossible for a vehicle manufacturer to provide (within the control space of the cab or work station) dedicated controls for all individual implements that may be connected with the vehicle. This has lead to the development of programmable controls, whereby a number of control devices/actuators within the control space (such as switches, thumbwheel actuators etc), along with monitoring devices such as numerical and/or graphical displays, may be assigned different functions depending on the implement attached to the vehicle. The development of programmable control devices has undoubtedly increased the functionality of modern agricultural vehicles, but it has a price in terms of the increased complexity for the user. With any given programmable control device, the function will vary from implement to implement so it is not possible to mark each control device with a legend identifying its function. Instead, the user will have to remember each pattern of control device allocations for each implement used - an arrangement which can easily lead to errors. One known example of a programmable control device is a joystick device as described in European Patent application EP 1 714 847 A2. In addition to enabling the operator to select the vehicle function performed by movement of the joystick (e.g. lift front or rear hitches), the described system enables the programming of the function performed by a switch or actuator device mounted on the joystick. Whilst this arrangement can reduce the proliferation of implement-specific controls on a joystick, the issue of remembering control device allocations may be exacerbated as a user would tend to operate such a control without looking at it.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a means for reducing the likelihood of operator errors whilst simultaneously simplifying the layout in the operator workspace of an agricultural vehicle.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a joystick for controlling an agricultural vehicle, the vehicle being operably connectable to two or more

agricultural implements and having connection means connectable to each such implement, upon which joystick are provided one or more user operable control devices for operation of a vehicle; wherein said joystick further comprises one or more control devices for control of a connected implement provided in a detachable control module having first functional connection means, and said joystick includes second functional connection means configured to receive said control module and operationally connect to the same.

With a dedicated control module for an implement, it is much clearer to a user which controls pertain to which implement. This is enhanced by the fact that only those controls specific to a fitted implement are located in a known location on the joystick, and that redundant controls for non-fitted implements are not there to cause confusion. On the joystick, the first and second functional connector means may comprise a two-part mating multipath connector arrangement, such as a multipin plug. In such an arrangement the joystick suitably includes a receptacle to receive the control module - i.e. there is a plug-in space in the headstock or elsewhere on the joystick to receive a control unit associated with the specific implement being employed. In the alternative, it will be readily understood that other mechanisms such as short range wireless connection may be used to connect the control module to the control system of the vehicle and thence to the implement.

The above-mentioned connection means between a vehicle and implement preferably includes a data transfer channel on which channel communications follow the ISOBUS or another agreed data communications standard. In such an arrangement, communications between the vehicle and an attached implement suitably follow the same communications standard as communications between the vehicle and an installed control module for that implement: with such an

arrangement, the control module and implement have the same (or similar) interface to the data channel.

In a joystick as described above, where part of the joystick includes a recess to receive the control module, there is preferably also provided a cover plate or other closure means installable to close that recess when the control module is not present, in order to keep dust out of any mechanical connectors provided.

The present invention also provides a control module for use with a joystick as outlined above. Such a control module will suitably include (through the first functional connector means) means configured to send and receive signals via a databus connection provided by the second functional connector means.

The present invention further provides, in combination, an agricultural vehicle including a joystick as recited above, said vehicle being connectable to two or more agricultural implements, and two or more control modules as further recited, with each control module providing control devices for the control of a respective and separate agricultural implement. Further features and advantages of the present invention are recited in the attached claims to which reference should now be made.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 schematically represents an agricultural vehicle connectable to either of a pair of implements, with each implement having a respective control module;

Figures 2 to 5 show the replacement of one control module by another on the joystick of a vehicle;

Figure 6 shows the replacement of a control module by a dummy module on the joystick of a vehicle; and

Figure 7 is a schematic representation of the connection of a control module to the control cabling of a vehicle.

Referring initially to Figure 1 , an agricultural vehicle 10 is shown having a cab 12 (operator space) within which are provided user operable control devices 14 for operation of the vehicle, including a joystick 15. The vehicle 10 is operably

connectable to two or more agricultural implements, such as a baler 16 and seeder 18. Between the vehicle and implement a connection means 20, such as a multi-pin electrical plug, is provided to enable control systems of the implement to be interfaced to those of the vehicle, with the cab 12 including one or more control devices specifically for control of a connected implement. Each implement 16, 18 is provided with a respective detachable control module 16M, 18M which carries the specific control devices for that implement. As will be described in further detail below, each detachable control module has first functional connection means, and the joystick 15 includes a second functional connection means configured to receive the control module and operationally connect the same to the attached implement. The module and functional connection arrangements are suitably standardised to allow one module to be simply substituted for another as a different implement is attached to the vehicle 10. Figures 2 to 6 show the interior of the cab 12 in greater detail, with the control devices 14 for operating the vehicle being provided in a console arrangement to the right of the driving position. At the drivers side of the console arrangement there is provided an armrest 17 for the user and in front of that is located the joystick 15. The joystick 15 comprises a lower mounting portion 15C, including potentiometer or similar controls actuated by movement of the joystick, an intermediate portion 15B providing a handgrip for the user, and a headstock 15A carrying a number of control devices for user control of the vehicle. As shown particularly in Figure 3 and Figure 2, the headstock 15A also provides a recess 22 to receive a control module 16M, 18M with a multi-way connector on the bottom of the module mating with a corresponding connector in the base of the recess 22 as the module is inserted.

The sequence of Figures 2 to 5 illustrates the removal of a first module 16M and its replacement by another 18M as would be required when the vehicle is uncoupled from a first implement and coupled to another. As will be understood, not all implements will require control by dedicated control devices in the vehicle cab and, as shown in Figure 6, an inoperative dummy module 26, blanking plate or other closure means may be provided to close the recess 22. In this way, the ingress of dust to the multi-way connector in headstock 15A may be minimised. Figure 7 is a schematic representation of the connection arrangement for the installation of control modules. The recess 22 features a multi-way connector 24 which mates with a corresponding connector 40 of the module 18M as the module is inserted into the recess 22. To further secure the module 18M in position, an arrangement of dovetail key 30 and slot 32 may be provided between the module and headstock 15A: this arrangement also assists the correct alignment of the two connector parts 24, 40.

The connector 40 is connected within the module 18M to the dedicated control devices 42 for an implement with which that module is associated. The module is connected via control cabling of the vehicle to the external connection 20 to the implement. Whilst the control cabling may be a simple multi-way cable, it may also advantageously comprise a dedicated databus 44 (suitably configured to support the ISOBUS ISO1 1783 communications standard) providing a common protocol for communications between the module and vehicle, and between the vehicle and implement. In such an arrangement, the multi-way connector 24 is connected to the databus 44 via a bus interface circuit 46 in conventional manner. In similar manner, the dedicated controls 48 provided on the headstock 15A may be connected to the databus 44.

From reading the present disclosure, it will be understood that additions or modifications are possible. For example, the connection to a module received within a recess may be achieved by short range wireless connection rather than using multi-way physical connectors. The scope of the present invention is defined by the attached claims.

Claims

1 . A joystick for controlling an agricultural vehicle, the vehicle being operably connectable to two or more agricultural implements and having connection means connectable to each such implement, upon which joystick are provided one or more user operable control devices for operation of a vehicle,

characterised in that said joystick further comprises one or more control devices for control of a connected implement provided in a detachable control module having first functional connection means, and said joystick includes second functional connection means configured to receive said control module and operationally connect to the same.

2. A joystick as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first and second functional connector means comprises a two-part mating multipath connector arrangement.

3. A joystick as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein a part of the joystick includes a receptacle to receive the control module.

4. A joystick as claimed in claim 3, wherein the receptacle includes at a fixed location one part of the two-part mating multipath connector, to receive the module in a plug-in manner.

5. A joystick as claimed in claim 3, comprising a lower mounting portion, an intermediate portion providing a hand grip, and an upper headstock on which are mounted said user operable control devices for operation of a vehicle.

6. A joystick as claimed in claim 5, wherein the receptacle is provided in the headstock.

7. A joystick as claimed in claim 3, further comprising a closure means installable to close said recess when the control module is not present.

8. A control module for use with a joystick as claimed in any preceding claim.

9. A control module as claimed in claim 8, wherein said first functional connector means are configured to send and receive signals via a databus connection provided by the second functional connector means.

10. In combination an agricultural vehicle including a joystick according to any of claims 1 to 7, said vehicle being connectable to two or more agricultural implements, and two or more control modules each according to claim 8 or claim 9, with each control module providing control devices for the control of a respective and separate one of said two or more agricultural implements.