Patent Publication Number: US-2023148466-A1

Title: Self-propelled Agricultural Working Machine

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This document claims priority based on German Patent Application No. 102021130011.8, filed on Nov. 17, 2021, which is incorporated by reference into this application. 
     DESCRIPTION 
     The invention relates to a self-propelled agricultural working machine. 
     BACKGROUND 
     A trend in agriculture which has already been observed for some time is the automation or at least a remote control of field work. Practically all working processes which have to be undertaken on a field for cultivating, plowing and harvesting the crops may be automated or remotely controlled. To this end, generally self-propelled working machines are used, i.e. vehicles provided with separate drives serving for the propulsion thereof, and the working implements which are respectively required are coupled thereto. Since according to the current legal situation these self-propelled working machines are not allowed to travel in road traffic without a human driver, and in most cases the place of use of the working machines on the fields to be cultivated may be reached only on public roads from the respective base location (agricultural business or contractor business, or the like), such self-propelled working machines (or at least a host vehicle which may be followed by further autonomous working machines on a virtual or real tow bar) also have to be provided with workstations so that an operator may move the vehicles on the public roads, although in principle the working machines per se may also be operated autonomously on the road. To this end, reference might be made to German Patent Application No. DE 197 05 842 A1, German Patent Application No. DE 102 24 939 A1 and J. Krzywinski, Usability Engineering: Die Zukunft der Mensch-Maschine-Interaktion in der Landtechnik (The Future of Human-Machine Interaction in Agricultural Engineering), Landtechnik (Agricultural Engineering) 72(6), 2017, Pages 305-307. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION 
     A self-propelled agricultural working machine comprising: a drive module with a load-bearing chassis which is supported on the ground by ground-engaging member; agricultural implements for performing an agricultural operation and which are couplable to the load-bearing chassis; an electronic control unit for controlling the ground-engaging member by at least one of automatic control and remote control; and an operator station with an operator interface, the operator station configured to be removably attached to the load-bearing chassis such that the operating station may be attached and manned by an operator while on public roads or removed for unmanned use during an agricultural operation and the drive module configured to be operated by at least one of automatic control and by remote control in order to reduce the ground compaction. 
    
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
       The above-mentioned aspects of the present disclosure and the manner of obtaining them will become more apparent and the disclosure itself will be better understood by reference to the following description of the examples of the disclosure, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein: 
         FIG.  1    shows a schematic side view of a self-propelled working machine; 
         FIG.  2    shows a perspective view of the working machine from the rear and above; 
         FIG.  3    shows an enlarged view of the attachment of the operator station; 
         FIG.  4    shows the view according to  FIG.  3    with the cab removed; 
         FIG.  5    shows a diagram of the electronic controllers of the working machine and the elements connected thereto; 
         FIG.  6    shows a view of the working machine and further self-propelled working machines controlled thereby during travel on a road; and 
         FIG.  7    shows a view of the working machines shown in  FIG.  6    during work on a field. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     A self-propelled agricultural working machine comprising a drive module with a load-bearing chassis which is supported on the ground by steerable and drivable ground-engaging members, agricultural implements for cultivating a field and/or crops located thereon and which are couplable or coupled to the load-bearing chassis, an electronic control unit for controlling the ground-engaging member automatically and/or by remote control, as well as an operator station which is attached to the load-bearing chassis, with an operator interface for the manual control of the ground-engaging member by an operator. 
     The operator workstation in self-propelled working machines is generally fixedly attached (not removable during operation) and thus transported during the work on the field, although due to the automation and/or remote control of the working machine the operator workstation is not occupied and thus not required, and this results in a significant but undesirable ground compaction. Some cabs of self-propelled working machines has a mass in the order of magnitude of 1000 kg which in particular in the case of more lightweight, electrically operated working machine (see German Patent Application No. DE 10 2019 211 496 A1) certainly represents a significant proportion of the total mass and ground compaction thereof. Other approaches may involve transport of unmanned self-propelled working machines, typically not provided with an operator workstation, by means of a separate manned carrier vehicle (for example WO 2016/087535 A1) which results in redundancy which is disadvantageous since the carrier vehicle remains unused for the majority of the time. 
     Further yet, other approaches involve a series of non-agricultural working machines in which an operator workstation may be detached from the working machine during the work in order to be able to operate the working machine remotely from a distance and thus with less noise pollution and a reduced potential for hazards (See German Patent Application No. DE 11 2013 005 362 T5 in a horizontal drilling machine, U.S. Pat. No. 4,090,736 A for a mining vehicle, U.S. Pat. No. 5,638,619 A for a stump shredder in which the removable operator station consists only of a small device). In this case, the reason for the removable operator station is not the total mass or ground compaction which is entirely irrelevant in these non-agricultural working machines, but to bring the operator to a safe distance from the works, which in turn is not relevant in agricultural works, in particular where the working machines generally operate autonomously. 
     In order to address the myriad of issues of self-propelled agricultural vehicles, including but not limited to total mass and ground compaction by a cab which is not required during field work, it is proposed that the operator station is attached to the load-bearing chassis so as to be removable during operation, so that the working machine is movable with the operator station attached thereto by an operator on public roads and during the cultivation of a field is able to be operated with the operator station removed, automatically and/or by remote control by the electronic control unit in order to reduce the ground compaction. The implement may be configured for ground cultivation, for sowing or planting, for spraying or combating undesirable organisms and/or for harvesting plants or parts thereof. The operator station may be attached so as to be height-adjustable relative to the drive module by first and second actuators. This height adjustment, on the one hand, may facilitate climbing in and climbing out of the operator station and, on the other hand, may also serve for coupling and decoupling the operator station. The latter may take place automatically as is known per se from attaching working implements to a farm tractor or harvesting attachments to harvesting machines. 
     To this end, a mechanical coupling may be provided, said mechanical coupling being attached between the operator station and the drive module and being able to be detached and connected by an actuator. To this end, the coupling is able to be coupled by lifting a part of the coupling on the drive module side relative to a part of the coupling on the operator station side and is able to be detached by lowering a part of the coupling on the drive (or traction) module side relative to a part of the coupling on the operator station side. A suitable coupling is a so-called “Weiste triangle” which may be connected to the drive module by a three-point coupling provided with a power lift. However, any other couplings may also be used. Preferably, the coupling also provides an electrical connection between the operator station and the drive module, in particular galvanically or inductively. The operator station or a remote operator workstation may permit a monitoring and/or remote control of the drive module detached from the operator station. 
     A self-propelled agricultural working machine  10  is shown in  FIGS.  1  and  2   . The working machine is made up of a drive module  12  and an operator station  14  which may be removed and fastened thereto during operation. The drive module  12  comprises a load-bearing chassis  16  which is supported on the ground by drivable and steerable ground-engaging member  18 ,  20 . 
     In the example, the ground-engaging member  18 ,  20  are designed as wheels, the front ground-engaging member  18  and/or the rear ground-engaging member  20  thereof being steerable. Similarly, the rear ground-engaging member  20  and/or the front ground-engaging member  18  are drivable. However, any other configurations of the ground-engaging member  18 ,  20  are conceivable. In particular, the ground-engaging member may be designed as two or four caterpillar track drives, optionally in combination with wheels, or comprise a larger number of wheels than shown. The steering may be implemented by adjusting the angle of the ground-engaging member about the vertical axis, by designing the load-bearing chassis  16  with articulated steering, and/or by different speeds on the left-hand and right-hand side. 
     The ground-engaging member  18  and/or  20  are drivable in order to transport the drive module  12  on a public road and to be able to perform a working process on a field. To this end, an energy source  28  may be provided on the load-bearing chassis  16 , for example a battery (rechargeable battery) or a fuel cell or an internal combustion engine with a generator, which are connected to an electric motor  32  for driving the ground-engaging member  18 ,  20  so as to transmit energy. In the case of an internal combustion engine, a mechanical or hydraulic drive connection could also be provided with the driven ground-engaging member  18  and/or  20 . 
     An electronic control unit  30  controls the speed of the ground-engaging member  18 ,  20  via the motor  32  (or the inverter thereof or the like) and controls the ground-engaging member  18  and/or  20  in terms of steering via a steering controller  60  which steers the drive module  12  in the above-described manner. Thus, the control unit  30  controls the speed and direction of travel of the self-propelled working machine  10 . 
     The load-bearing chassis  16  bears on its upper face any implement  26  for cultivating an agricultural field. In  FIGS.  1  and  2   , the implement  26  is shown as a container, agricultural products, which may be harvested by a harvesting machine or by hand from the field, being able to be transported thereby. Instead of the implement  26  shown, any other implement by which an agricultural process is carried out on a field may be connected to the load-bearing chassis  16 , whether for ground cultivation, for sowing or planting, for spraying or for any other manner of combating undesirable organisms such as insects, fungi or weeds or for harvesting plants or parts thereof. A further implement, not shown, which is folded in for travel on a road and folded out for operation on the field, may be fastened to a rear interface  22  of the load-bearing chassis  16  which is designed in the form of a three-point coupling. 
     A front interface  24  in the form of a three-point coupling, which is shown in more detail in  FIGS.  3  and  4   , is attached to the front face of the drive module  12  (the self-propelled working machine  10  is moved in normal working mode in the direction V, i.e., to the left in  FIG.  1   ). The operator station  14  is removably attached to the front interface  24 . 
     Reference is now made to  FIGS.  3  and  4    in which the attachment of the operator station  14  to the drive module  12  is shown in more detail. The front interface  24  is designed as a so-called three-point coupling and thus comprises two lower links  34 ,  36  arranged adjacent to one another and an upper link  38 , two carrier elements  40  being attached to the front ends thereof, said carrier elements forming a triangle with an upper point which is pivotably connected to the upper link  38  about an axis running transversely to the forward direction V and horizontally. Similarly, the lower ends of the carrier elements  40  are coupled to one of the lower links  34 , so as to be pivotable about an axis running transversely to the forward direction V and horizontally in each case. The lower links  38  are height-adjustable by a power lift, not shown but known per se (see for example German Patent Appl. No. DE 10 2018 200 888 A1), i.e. articulated at their rear ends on the load-bearing chassis  16  about axes running transversely to the forward direction V and horizontally, and are pivotable relative to the chassis  16  by an actuator  92  (see  FIG.  5   ) which acts directly or indirectly, for example via a linkage, on the lower links  34 ,  36 . Additionally, the upper link  38  may be longitudinally adjustable by an actuator  94  ( FIG.  5   ). 
     The operator station  14  comprises a cab  46  which is fastened to a frame  42 , feet  46  on which the frame may be supported on the ground being attached to the lower face thereof. The frame  42  extends on the lower face and on the rear face of the cab  46 . Complementary support elements  44 , which are fastened to the rear of the frame  42 , cooperate with the carrier elements  40 . The carrier elements  40  thus may be inserted from below into the support elements  44 . The coupling of the operator station  14  and interface  24  implemented in this manner is known per se by the term “Weiste triangle” and is disclosed in German Patent Appl. No. DE 1 215 419 A. In contrast to that shown by way of illustration, a locking device which is releasable and securable by actuator or by hand could be provided between the support elements  44  and the carrier elements  40  or at a different point between the operator station  14  and the front interface  24 , in order to prevent an undesired release of the connection, for example in the case of accidents. 
     An electrical connection between the operator station  14  and the drive module  12  (or the electronic control units  30 ,  58  thereof) may be produced by a (galvanic) plug connection, which is arranged, for example, in the vicinity of the upper point of the support elements  44  and the carrier elements  40  and comprises an element  48  on the drive module side and an element  50  on the operator station side. Either one of the elements  48 ,  50  (in  FIG.  4    the element  48 ) is designed as a bushing and the respective other element as a plug (with pins  52 ). The electrical connection is automatically produced when coupling the operator station  14  to the drive module  12 , and automatically disconnected again when detached. Alternatively, or additionally, an inductive connection is conceivable by two coils  54 ,  56 , one thereof being assigned to the drive module  12  and the other to the operator station  14 . 
       FIG.  5    shows schematically the electronic control units  30 ,  58  of the self-propelled working machine  10  and the elements connected thereto. In addition to the above-described electrical or inductive connections with the elements  48 ,  50  and/or coils  54 ,  56  which serve for transmitting electrical current and communication signals between the control units  30 ,  58 , and the connection of the control unit  30  to the motor  32  and the steering controller  60 , the electronic control unit  30  of the drive module  12  is connected to the energy source  28 , a position determining unit  62  for receiving signals of a global satellite navigation system and the determining of the position based thereon, a sensor system  64 , and a wireless communication unit  66  operating according to any protocol such as a WLAN or a mobile radio standard, in order to permit a remote-controlled or autonomous operation of the drive module  12  and the working implement  26 . The control unit  48  of the operator station  14  is connected to a wireless communication unit  68  which may be connected to the communication unit  66 , to a back-up battery  70 , to a speed predetermining device  72  which may be actuated by the operator such as a drive lever or pedal for predetermining speed and to a steering predetermining device  74  such as a steering wheel or joystick which may be actuated by the operator for the steering. A further input device  90  of the operator station  14  serves for controlling the actuator  92  of the power lift of the lower links  34 ,  36  and an actuator  94  for the longitudinal adjustment of the upper link  24 . 
     The back-up battery  70  (rechargeable battery) of the operator station  14  could be constructed as an energy source which is independent of the drive module  12 , for example in the form of a 400 V battery. This battery may be integrated in the frame  42  below the cab  46  and ensure a full days energy supply of the control unit  58  of the operator station  14  and an electrically driven air-conditioning compressor which is used for cooling the cab interior. For charging the back-up battery, an integrated charging device which permits the charging on a commercially available  32 A CEE plug socket is used. Also conceivable are a voltage converter for providing the operating voltage required for the control unit  58  and a water cooling therefor. In order to permit a simple coupling of the operator station  14  and the controller of remote vehicles (see  FIG.  7   ), in such an example all communication connections of the operator station  14  may be designed to be wireless relative to the surroundings, the electrical or inductive connections with the elements  48 ,  50  and/or coils  54 ,  56  accordingly being dispensed with. Said connections, however, may also serve to charge the back-up battery  70  in the case of a connection coupled to the drive module  12  and/or to permit the communication between the control units  30 ,  58  irrespective of the communication units  66 ,  68 , when the operator station  14  is coupled to the drive module  12 . 
     All things considered, the working machine  10  according to the invention permits a method which is shown in  FIGS.  6  and  7   . The operator station  14  is attached to the drive module  12  as shown in  FIGS.  1  to  3    for the road transport of the self-propelled working machine  10 , the load-bearing chassis thereof in  FIGS.  6  and  7    carrying a different working implement  26  from that in  FIGS.  1  to  4   , namely harvesting devices of a forage harvester. An operator sitting in the operator station  14  steers the working machine  10  by hand and also predetermines the speed thereof, by using the speed predetermining device  72  and the steering predetermining device  74 . These operator interfaces provide electrical signals to the electronic control unit  58  of the operator station  14  which transmits these signals (via the elements  48 ,  50  shown in  FIGS.  3  and  4    and/or the coils  54 ,  56  and/or the wireless communication units  66 ,  68 ) to the electronic control unit  30  of the drive module  12 , which in turn controls the motor  32  and the steering controller  60 . 
     Further self-propelled working machines  76  to  82  may follow the working machine  10 , controlled by wire as shown in  FIG.  6   , or wirelessly, and steered by the operator in the operator station  14 . The working machines  10  and  76  to  82  thus form a type of convoy, the vehicles thereof being connected together by an electronic tow bar. A single operator is thus able to drive a whole series of working machines from the base location thereof to the work on a field and back again. 
     The method when working on the field is shown in  FIG.  7   . The operator station  14  as shown in  FIG.  4    is detached from the drive module  12  and deposited at a suitable point, for example at the edge of the field to be cultivated. To this end, after the operator has steered the working machine  10  and the operator station  14  to the desired point, the operator may correspondingly activate the actuators  92 ,  94  by the input device  90 . In particular, a sequence “lower and detach the operator station” may be simply called up, which leads to the automatic deposit of the operator station  14  on the ground and to the removal of the drive module  12  therefrom. In this case, the electrical connection between the drive module  12  and the operator station  14  is disconnected but a remote control via the communication units  66 ,  68  still remains possible. A reverse sequence is conceivable for the reattachment. 
     The input device  90  also provides the option in combination with the actuators  92 ,  94  for the operator station  14  to be moved as far as possible downwardly after the end of the works or for climbing out of the operator station, even if it is to remain on the drive module  12 , in order to facilitate climbing in and climbing out of the operator station. A ladder or the like is thus not required, which is beneficial for older or disabled operators. When traveling, the operator station  14  may be similarly lifted in order to permit the operator an improved view when driving. When the operator station is not lowered, by suitable activation of the actuators  92 ,  94 , on the basis of suitable inclination sensors, a levelling of the operator station  14  may also be permitted in the forward and optionally also in the transverse direction. 
     Optionally after disconnecting the electrical connections between some or all of the working machines  10  and  76  to  82 , a remote-controlled or automatic operation of the vehicles  10  and  76  to  82 , optionally also of further autonomous, remote-controlled or manually controlled working machines  84 ,  86 , may now be started on the field in order to carry out one of the above-described agricultural jobs or tasks. In this case, the working machine  10  may be automatically and autonomously controlled by the control unit  30  on the basis of the signals of the position determining unit  62 , the sensor system  64  and the communication unit  66 . Generally, the electronic control device  30  receives a task which it processes using the signals of the sensor system  64  (as a feedback signal via work completed and/or as an input signal for determining physical variables on the field) and of the position determining unit  62 , and transmits corresponding status messages via the communication unit  66  (and optionally as shown in  FIG.  7    the communication unit  68  serving as a relay station) to an operator workstation  88  which may be located at the base location (farm premises, company premises) of the working machines  10  and  76  to  82  or at any other location (including the operator station  14 ) in order to permit a monitoring and control and a rescheduling of the work, if required, by feedback of the arrangements or changed tasks to the working machine(s)  10  and  76  to  82 . In each case, the working machines  10  and  76  to  86  may process working tasks which are specific thereto or partially or collectively as a whole, as a so-called field swarm. 
     After the end of the work, the operator station  14  may be coupled again to the drive module  12  and the operator, who in the meantime has traveled by foot or has traveled by a vehicle (for example a scooter, bicycle) transported to any location, or has been fetched, drives the working machine(s)  10  and optionally  76  to  82  to the next field or back to the base location. 
     It may be identified that by removing the operator station  14  during the field work, the ground compaction brought about by the working machine  10  is substantially reduced on the field. 
     Those skilled in the art will recognize that it is common within the art to implement apparatuses and/or devices and/or processes and/or systems in the fashion(s) set forth herein, and thereafter use engineering and/or business practices to integrate such implemented apparatuses and/or devices and/or processes and/or systems into more comprehensive apparatuses and/or devices and/or processes and/or systems. That is, at least a portion of the apparatuses and/or devices and/or processes and/or systems described herein can be integrated into comprehensive apparatuses and/or devices and/or processes and/or systems via a reasonable amount of experimentation. 
     Although the present disclosure has been described in terms of specific embodiments and applications, persons skilled in the art can, considering this teaching, generate additional embodiments without exceeding the scope or departing from the spirit of the present disclosure described herein. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the drawings and description in this disclosure are proffered to facilitate comprehension of the present disclosure and should not be construed to limit the scope thereof. 
     As used herein, unless otherwise limited or modified, lists with elements that are separated by conjunctive terms (e.g., “and”) and that are also preceded by the phrase “one or more of” or “at least one of” indicate configurations or arrangements that potentially include individual elements of the list, or any combination thereof. For example, “at least one of A, B, and C” or “one or more of A, B, and C” indicates the possibilities of only A, only B, only C, or any combination of two or more of A, B, and C (e.g., A and B; B and C; A and C; or A, B, and C). 
     It should also be noted that the different examples described herein can be combined in different ways. That is, parts of one or more examples can be combined with parts of one or more other examples. All of this is contemplated herein.