Hoeing equipment, hoeing assembly and agricultural vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a hoeing device comprising:-a frame (1) intended to be coupled to a vehicle for pulling the hoeing device; -a deformable parallelogram mechanism (2) comprising an upper beam (20) and a lower beam (21) carrying at least one hoe (3) and means for advancing on the ground, said beams being connected by at least one pair of connecting rods (22) extending from one beam to the other, said connecting rods (22) being connected by means of at least one pair of connecting rods (22); the invention relates to a hoeing device comprising a frame (1) and a deformable parallelogram mechanism (2), the frame (1) comprising an upper beam (20) and a lower beam (21) inclined forward in the direction of forward movement of the hoeing device, while being inclined forward from the upper beam (20) to the lower beam (21), and a connecting member (5) inserted between the frame (1) and the deformable parallelogram mechanism.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The field of the present invention is that of the design and manufacture of agricultural machines. More specifically, the present invention relates to a cultivator device intended to be towed by a vehicle, in particular but not exclusively designed for working hard soils. BACKGROUND

[0002] Weeding is a weeding operation in the vicinity of crops, intended to promote the development of said crops by eliminating parasitic weeds that capture water and optimize the penetration of water into the soil towards the roots of the crops.

[0003] For agriculture, cultivator devices have been developed that are specifically adapted to crops sown in rows (maize, sugar beet, etc.), allowing the cultivator to be carried out between the rows of plants newly emerged from the ground, optionally between several rows of plants.

[0004] A distinction is made between two main types of cultivator machines, tine cultivators and star cultivators. In both cases, the principle is the same: the cultivator elements work between the rows of crops to penetrate the soil a few centimetres in order to pull out the weeds below the roots or through the roots, leaving a series of furrows behind the passage of the cultivator machine.

[0005] In some cases, the cultivator operation is particularly difficult due to the hardness of the soil, in particular dry soil, or due to the presence of stones.

[0006] However, the main difficulty in the presence of such hard soil is to be able to keep the cultivator elements in the soil, while the cultivator elements naturally tend to move away from the soil due to the upward retraction of the cultivator device.

[0007] This is because, according to the traditional design of the cultivator machine, the cultivator elements are loaded by a lower (horizontal) beam of a deformable parallelogram mechanism, the lower beam being connected to an upper beam of the parallelogram mechanism by two connecting rods that are inclined forward (in the direction of movement of the cultivator machine) from the lower beam to the upper beam.

[0008] In fact, with this design, when the cultivator machine encounters a restriction or obstacle, the cultivator elements exert a rearward force on the lower beam, which tends to tilt backwards with respect to the upper beam, causing the cultivator elements to move upwards (thus they are removed from the ground). At the kinematic level, this is explained by the fact that the upper end of the connecting rods is fixed to the upper beam, while constituting a pivot axis around which the connecting rods rotate in circular arc movement.

[0009] To avoid this retraction phenomenon, the technique commonly used is to press down the parallelogram mechanism of the cultivator machine to keep the tines in the soil.

[0010] This technique is not always completely satisfactory and in any case finds its limits on particularly hard soils.

[0011] To solve this problem, and to allow the holding of the hoeing elements in the soil in all cases, in particular when working on hard ground, the solution described in the patent application published under the number EP2880969 was proposed. In this solution, the orientation of the connecting rods of the parallelogram mechanism connecting the upper beam to the lower beam is opposite to that of the previously described technique. This is because the connecting rods are oriented forward from the upper beam to the lower beam. This causes the parallelogram mechanism to react when working on hard ground or in the presence of obstacles, causing the lower beam to pivot towards the rear of the device. This pivoting tends to move the lower beam away from the upper beam, causing the lower beam to move downwards, tending to keep the hoeing elements in the soil or even slightly increasing their penetration distance into the soil.

[0012] This solution is particularly satisfactory in terms of the quality of work provided and in terms of the dynamic behavior of the hoeing device, in relation to its ability to maintain or even strengthen the holding of the hoeing elements in the soil. This solution is also satisfactory because it has a robust and simple design, minimizing the maintenance required to keep it operational.

[0013] Since this solution was proposed, new needs have arisen, in particular in relation to the possibility of avoiding the hoeing of certain areas without the need to turn the vehicle equipped with the hoeing device.

[0014] TECHNICAL PROBLEM The object of the present invention is in particular to meet this need.

[0015] More specifically, the present invention aims to provide a hoeing device having a good ability to maintain or even strengthen the holding of the hoeing elements in the ground, as well as the ability to avoid the hoeing using a hoe loaded by a deformable parallelogram mechanism, without the need to turn the vehicle equipped with the hoeing device.

[0016] The present invention also aims to provide such a device that is robust and simple, in order to minimize the maintenance required to keep it operational. SUMMARY

[0017] As the present invention achieves these objects, as well as others that will emerge later, the object of the present invention is a hoeing device comprising: - a frame intended to be coupled to a vehicle to tow the hoeing device; - a deformable parallelogram mechanism, said deformable parallelogram mechanism comprising an upper beam and a lower beam, said lower beam being loaded with at least one hoe and means for travelling on the ground, said beams being connected by at least one pair of connecting rods, said connecting rods extending from one beam to the other, while being inclined forward from the upper beam to the lower beam in the direction of forward movement of the device; - a connection member inserted between the frame and the deformable parallelogram mechanism, The upper beam is movable relative to the frame between a raised position towards the frame and a lowered position towards the ground, the upper beam being rotatably mounted to the connection member about a rotation axis extending orthogonally to a longitudinal axis of the upper beam and located at a front end of the upper beam, and the harrowing device comprises a double-acting hydraulic cylinder comprising a cylinder body rotatably mounted to the connection member and a rod having a distal end rotatably mounted to an anchoring point of the upper beam located along the upper beam and away from the front end of the upper beam, the hydraulic cylinder being in the extended position at the lowered position of the upper beam.

[0018] As the upper beam is rotatably mounted to the connection member and the hydraulic cylinder by its front end, the deformable parallelogram mechanism can be raised so as to retract the harrow from the ground by moving the upper beam from its lowered position to its raised position. In this way, when approaching an area where harrowing should not be performed, the user of the device can simply trigger the retraction of the harrow without having to turn their vehicle.

[0019] When working on hard ground or in the presence of obstacles, the forward orientation of the connection rod from the upper beam to the lower beam tends to react the parallelogram mechanism so that the lower beam pivots towards the rear of the device. This pivoting tends to move the lower beam away from the upper beam, resulting in the downward movement of the lower beam which tends to keep the harrowing elements in the ground or even slightly increase their penetration distance into the ground. Thus, in the presence of hard ground or obstacles, the harrowing elements are not retracted from the soil but, on the contrary, in the presence of significant resistance, their depth level in the soil is maintained or even increased.

[0020] The design of the connection member and the hydraulic cylinder combines its effects with those of the deformable parallelogram mechanism arranged in the manner described above. The combination of these effects makes it possible to obtain an optimized dynamic behavior of the harrowing device in terms of its ability to keep the harrow pressed into the ground. More particularly, the design of the deformable parallelogram mechanism generates during harrowing a reaction force exerted on the upper beam in the front-to-back direction, which has a vertical component that can evolve depending on the nature of the ground or the presence of obstacles. The hydraulic cylinder then absorbs part of these forces, which can tend to rotate the upper beam on the connection member about its rotation axis. The use and integration of the hydraulic cylinder make it possible to absorb these forces in an optimized manner, since its rod is in its extended position and thus abuts, preventing the lowering of the rear end of the upper beam, and since one of the chambers of the cylinder body is filled with liquid to keep it in its extended position, it resists the raising of the rear end of the upper beam.

[0021] According to a preferred feature, the hydraulic cylinder is rotatably mounted to the connection member about an offset rotation axis, which is located on the other side of the extension axis of the rod of the hydraulic cylinder with respect to the longitudinal axis of the upper beam.

[0022] This feature makes it possible to reduce the footprint generated by the hydraulic cylinder above the deformable parallelogram mechanism by moving it back towards the upper beam.

[0023] Preferably, the anchoring point is located at least more than one third of the length of the upper beam from the front end of the upper beam.

[0024] This increases the absorption of forces by the hydraulic cylinder.

[0025] According to a preferred design, the connection member comprises two side plates between which the front end of the upper beam and the base of the cylinder body of the hydraulic cylinder are inserted.

[0026] This contributes to the compactness of the device for raising the deformable parallelogram mechanism.

[0027] Preferably, the hydraulic cylinder has a bracket to which the base of the cylinder body is fixedly mounted, the bracket being obliquely mounted about an offset rotation axis on the side plate.

[0028] The invention also relates to a group of cultivators comprising a plurality of cultivators as described above, the cultivators sharing a single frame, the deformable parallelogram mechanisms of each cultivator extending in planes parallel to each other, the hydraulic cylinders of each cultivator being operable independently of the hydraulic cylinders of the other cultivators.

[0029] Thanks to this group of cultivators, it is possible to raise the coulters of only a part of the cultivators according to the needs related to the terrain on which the vehicle is running.

[0030] For example, when approaching the edge of a terrain, the user of the vehicle can control the raising of the cultivators of the cultivators that must travel at the edge, while leaving the other cultivators in the ground to carry out the cultivation. In this case, the user does not have to change the route of his vehicle to avoid such an edge.

[0031] The invention also relates to an agricultural vehicle loaded with cultivators as described above. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0032] Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of different preferred embodiments of the invention given as illustrative and non-limiting examples, and from the attached drawings of which: -[ Figure 1 ] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a cultivator according to the invention; -Figure 2 ] Figure 2 is a schematic view of a longitudinal median section of a frame, of a connecting member and of a deformable parallelogram mechanism of a hilling device according to the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] With reference to Figure 1 , a hilling device according to the present application is shown.

[0034] The hilling device is intended to be towed by a vehicle.

[0035] With reference to Figure 2 , the hilling device comprises a frame 1, which can be coupled to a vehicle, such as an agricultural tractor.

[0036] To this end, the frame 1 has an intermediate support 10, which takes the form of a beam, for example extending transversely to the longitudinal axis of the hilling device, and a plate 11, which is coupled to the intermediate support.

[0037] As will be described in detail below, at least part of the remaining part of the hilling device is connected to the frame 1 so as to be able to be towed by the vehicle and to perform the hilling work.

[0038] As will be described below, several hilling devices can be combined to form a hilling assembly. In this case, the frame 1 is shared and forms a single frame. The frame 1 then has a plurality of plates 11 distributed along the intermediate support 10.

[0039] The hilling device further comprises: - a deformable parallelogram mechanism 2; - a member 5 connecting the deformable parallelogram mechanism 2 to the frame 1; - a double-acting hydraulic cylinder 6.

[0040] With reference to Figure 1 and Figure 2 , the connecting member 5 is interposed between the frame 1 and the deformable parallelogram mechanism 2. The connecting member 5 is designed to ensure the transmission of the traction force from the frame 1 to the deformable parallelogram mechanism and also to be able to cooperate with the double-acting hydraulic cylinder 6 to raise R the deformable parallelogram mechanism 2 with respect to the frame 1.

[0041] The deformable parallelogram mechanism 2 is made up of an assembly comprising: - an upper beam 20; - a lower beam 21; - at least one pair of connecting rods 22, and in particular two pairs of connecting rods, one on each side of the beams, each connecting rod being hingedly connected by one of its ends to the upper beam 20 and by the other of its ends to the lower beam 21.

[0042] As Figure 1The lower beam 21 is loaded as shown: - a plurality of hoes 3; - means for the passage of the hilling device on the ground.

[0043] In this case, the moving means are formed by depth-control wheels 4, which are loaded by height-adjustable arms 40, which are inserted into sleeves 41, which are fixed to the deformable parallelogram 2 at the front of the latter, extending from the lower beam 21, so as to position the depth-control wheels 4 substantially vertically to the frame 1 according to the present embodiment.

[0044] According to a preferred embodiment, the hoes comprise tines 31 provided at the ends of the S-shaped elastically deformable members 30. These S-shaped members are of the known type and make it possible to generate a vibration phenomenon at the tines in the ground.

[0045] The hilling device can have a series of hoes, the number of which can vary according to needs.

[0046] According to Figure 1 According to one embodiment shown, the device is loaded with five hoes, one of which is positioned in line with the beam of the deformable parallelogram, while the remaining hoes are each loaded by an arm 30 so as to offset the hoes laterally with respect to the aligned tines.

[0047] The deformable parallelogram 2 of the device is constituted as follows: the connecting rods 22 extend from one beam to the other, while being inclined forward according to the direction of forward movement AV of the device (or in other words, in the direction of the frame of the device), which goes from the upper beam 20 to the lower beam 21. Each connecting rod 22 thus has a rear end articulated to the upper beam 20 and a front end articulated to the lower beam 21.

[0048] Thus, with the device according to the present invention, starting from a configuration such as that shown by Figure 1 where the upper and lower beams have a base spacing between them corresponding to the depth of the hoes in the ground (and where the tines occupy a position lower in height than the height of the depth-control wheels 4), when the device is moved on hard ground and / or encounters obstacles (of a nature to cause the phenomenon described below), the elements of the device will act as follows: - the depth-control wheels will maintain or even increase their contact with the ground surface, thus maintaining the lower beam of the parallelogram at a predetermined height; - The resistance applied to the fork teeth of the hoe will cause the lower beam to tilt toward the rear of the device (connecting rod 22 pivots about its hinge point on the upper beam and traces an arc toward the rear of the device at its hinge point on the lower beam), causing the deformable parallelogram mechanism to "open" with a tendency to lower the lower beam relative to the upper beam. This means that the fork of the hoe remains at the desired depth in the ground, or even slightly deeper in hard ground or in the presence of obstacles in the ground.

[0049] refer to Figure 2 The hoeing device includes a stop for moving the upper beam 20 relative to the lower beam 21.

[0050] The travel stop includes: - First stop 71, which moves with connecting rod 22 located near the front of the equipment; - Two second stops 72, which are supported by other connecting rods 22 located near the rear of the equipment.

[0051] The first stop 71 is in the form of a cylinder extending longitudinally between the two central portions of the front connecting rod 22 located on either side of the deformable parallelogram mechanism 2.

[0052] The second stop 72 is supported by the hook-shaped end 221 of the rear connecting rod 22. These rear connecting rods 22 actually have an S-shaped profile and hook-shaped ends 221 oriented toward the interior of the deformable parallelogram mechanism 2.

[0053] Similarly, the first stop 71 and the two second stops 72 extend longitudinally between the hook-shaped ends 221 of the two rear connecting rods connected to the upper beam 20 and between the hook-shaped ends 221 of the two rear connecting rods connected to the lower beam 21, respectively.

[0054] exist Figure 2 In the configuration of the two beams with their maximum spacing relative to each other, the upper surface 210 of the lower beam abuts against a second stop 72 installed between the hook-shaped ends 221 of the lower beam connected to the rear connecting rod, while the lower surface 204 of the upper beam 20 abuts against the second stop 72 installed between the hook-shaped ends 221 of the upper beam 20 connected to the rear connecting rod.

[0055] In a configuration where the two beams are folded over each other, all the stops, particularly the first stop 71 and the second stop 72, then come into contact with the lower surface 204 of the upper beam 20 and the upper surface 210 of the lower beam 21.

[0056] The connection between the connecting member 5, and more generally the deformable parallelogram mechanism 2, and the frame 1, is referred to below. Figure 1 and Figure 2 describe.

[0057] The connecting member 5 comprises a jaw 50 intended to close on the plate 11. To this end, a screw 51 makes it possible to clamp one of the claws of the jaw 50 towards the other claw fixed to the connecting member.

[0058] The connecting member 5 comprises two side plates 53.

[0059] These two side plates 53 extend parallel to each other. The jaw 50 is partly formed by these two side plates 53. The two side plates 53 act as supports for the deformable parallelogram mechanism 2 and for the double-acting hydraulic cylinder 6.

[0060] As mentioned previously, the deformable parallelogram mechanism 2 is liftable on the frame 1.

[0061] This is because the upper beam 20 is movable with respect to the frame 1 between a position raised towards the frame 1 and a position lowered towards the ground (position shown). Figure 2

[0062] More precisely, the upper beam 20 is rotatably mounted on the connecting member 5 about a rotation axis 50.

[0063] This rotation axis 50 is loaded by the two side plates 53 of the connecting member 5.

[0064] The rotation axis 50 extends orthogonally to the longitudinal axis 200 of the upper beam 20 and is located at the front end 201 of the upper beam 20. The front end 201 of the upper beam 20 corresponds to the end of the upper beam located closest to the connecting member 5.

[0065] This rotation axis 50 extends in particular perpendicularly to the two side plates 53. This is because the front end 201 of the upper beam 20 is inserted between the two side plates 53.

[0066] As mentioned previously, the working device comprises a double-acting hydraulic cylinder 6.

[0067] The hydraulic cylinder 6 comprises: - a cylinder body 60; - a rod 61 slidably mounted on the cylinder body 60 along an extension axis 500 of the rod 61; - a piston 63 mounted on a cylindrical housing provided in the cylinder body 60 and integral with the rod 61.

[0068] The hydraulic cylinder has two supply orifices located at the ends of the cylindrical housing. The piston 63 forms two chambers 64 in the cylindrical housing and each supply orifice appears in one of the two chambers.

[0069] According to the chosen direction of work, liquid is supplied to one of the two chambers 64 in order to push back the piston 63. In Figure 2 ​At the position shown, the chamber 64 behind the piston 63 relative to the rod 61 is fully supplied and the piston 63 and the rod 61 are fully pushed back, the hydraulic cylinder is then in the extended position.

[0070] The cylinder 60 is rotatably mounted to the connection member 5.

[0071] More particularly, the hydraulic cylinder 6 has a bracket 62 to which the base 60 of the cylinder 60 is fixedly mounted.

[0072] This bracket 62 extends from the cylinder 60 orthogonally to the extension axis 600 of the rod 61 up to an end through which the bracket 62 is obliquely mounted to the two side plates 53. The base of the cylinder 60 and the bracket 62 are inserted between the two side plates 53.

[0073] The bracket 62 extends in particular orthogonally to the extension axis 600 of the rod 61, the bracket 62 being located on the other side of the deformable parallelogram mechanism 2 relative to the extension axis 600 of the rod 61.

[0074] Thus, at the distal part of the base of the cylinder 60, the bracket 62 is obliquely mounted to the side plates 53 via the offset pivot axis 52.

[0075] More generally, the hydraulic cylinder 6 is rotatably mounted to the connection member 5 around the offset pivot axis 52, the offset pivot axis 52 being located on the other side of the extension axis 600 of the rod 61 of the hydraulic cylinder 6 relative to the longitudinal axis 200 of the upper beam 20.

[0076] The rod 61 of the hydraulic cylinder 6 in turn has a distal end 610 through which the hydraulic cylinder is coupled to the upper beam 20.

[0077] In particular, the distal end 610 is rotatably mounted to the anchoring point 202 of the upper beam 20.

[0078] This anchoring point 202 is loaded on the upper surface 203 of the upper beam 20.

[0079] The anchoring point 202 is positioned along the upper beam 20, away from the front end 201 of the upper beam 20.

[0080] Thanks to this design, the hydraulic cylinder 6 is in the extended position at a lowered position of the upper beam 20.

[0081] As illustrated, the anchoring point 202 is located at least more than one third of the length of the upper beam 20 from the front end 201 of the upper beam 20 and preferably before half the length of the upper beam 20.

[0082] This configuration optimizes the load absorption capacity provided by the double-acting hydraulic cylinder 6 in order to balance the forces generated by the grubbing and transmitted in the deformable parallelogram mechanism 2, the lifting kinematics R of the upper beam 20, while limiting the footprint of the hydraulic cylinder 6.

[0083] Furthermore, the connecting member 5 has at its lower end a stroke end stop 54. This stroke end stop extends between two side plates 53 and has a flat surface against which the lower surface 204 of the upper beam 20 rests in its lowered position. This stroke end stop 54 cooperates with the hydraulic cylinder 6 to keep the upper beam 20 in its lowered position.

[0084] As mentioned above, a plurality of hilling devices can be used to form a hilling assembly. In this case, the deformable parallelogram mechanisms of the hilling devices all extend parallel to each other. Furthermore, the hydraulic cylinders 6 of each hilling device can be operated independently of the hydraulic cylinders 6 of the other hilling devices.

[0085] The control system thus makes it possible to select the deformable parallelogram mechanisms to be lifted in order to perform partial hilling below the hilling assembly.

[0086] The invention also relates to a vehicle towing a hilling device as described above or a hilling assembly.

[0087] The hydraulic cylinder 6 described above is intended to be connected to the hydraulic circuit of the vehicle towing the hilling device. However, it is conceivable that the hilling device or the hilling assembly is loaded with its own hydraulic circuit, which integrates a hydraulic motor and means for controlling the supply of pressurized fluid to the hydraulic cylinder 6.

[0088] The hilling device described above forms a solution that is essentially robust and easy to maintain, while having the ability to at least partially limit the performance of hilling without having to change the movement of the vehicle towing the hilling device.

[0089] According to one application example, an agricultural tractor-type vehicle can tow a hilling assembly with more than a dozen hilling devices. If the vehicle passes near an indicative edge forming part of the space covered by the hilling assembly, the hilling device located at the edge can be raised as soon as it reaches the edge and then lowered as soon as it passes the edge. This allows the agricultural tractor to continue straight ahead. The raising and lowering of the hilling device can be performed by manual control or by an automated system, which can for example integrate a plan of the area indicating the areas not to be hilled and the geographical position of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A hoeing device comprising: - a frame (1) intended to be coupled to a vehicle for towing the hoeing device; - a deformable parallelogram mechanism (2) comprising an upper beam (20) and a lower beam (21) loaded with at least one hoe (3) and means for travelling on the ground, the beams being connected by at least one pair of connecting rods (22) extending from one beam to the other, while being inclined forward from the upper beam (20) to the lower beam (21) in the direction of forward movement of the hoeing device, - a connecting member (5) interposed between the frame (1) and the deformable parallelogram mechanism (2); characterized in that the upper beam (20) is movable with respect to the frame (1) between a position raised towards the frame (1) and a lowered position towards the ground, the upper beam (20) being rotatably mounted to the connecting member (5) about a rotation axis (50) extending orthogonally to the longitudinal axis (200) of the upper beam (20) and located at the front end (201) of the upper beam (20), and in that the hoeing device comprises a double-acting hydraulic cylinder (6) comprising a cylinder body (60) rotatably mounted to the connecting member (5) and a rod (61) having a distal end (610) rotatably mounted to an anchoring point (202) of the upper beam (20) located along the upper beam (20) and away from the front end (201) of the upper beam (20), the hydraulic cylinder (6) being in an extended position at the lowered position of the upper beam (20).

2. A hoeing apparatus according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the hydraulic cylinder (6) being rotatably mounted to the connecting member (5) about an offset rotation axis (52) located on the other side of the extension axis (600) of the rod (61) of the hydraulic cylinder (6) with respect to the longitudinal axis (200) of the upper beam (20).

3. A hoeing apparatus according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the anchoring point (202) being located at least more than one third of the length of the upper beam (20) from the front end (201) of the upper beam (20).

4. A hoeing apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that, the connecting member (5) comprising two side plates (53) between which the front end (201) of the upper beam (20) and the base of the cylinder body (60) of the hydraulic cylinder (6) are interposed.

5. A hoeing apparatus according to claims 2 and 4, characterized in that the hydraulic cylinder (6) having a bracket (62) to which the base (60) of the cylinder body (60) is fixedly mounted, the bracket (62) being obliquely mounted to the side plates (53) about the offset rotation axis (52).

6. A digging assembly characterized by, Said hoeing assembly comprises a plurality of hoeing devices according to any of the preceding claims, said hoeing devices sharing a single frame (1), the deformable parallelogram mechanism (2) of each hoeing device extending in a plane parallel to the planes of the other hoeing devices, the hydraulic cylinder (6) of each hoeing device being operable independently of the hydraulic cylinders (6) of the other hoeing devices.

7. An agricultural vehicle characterized by Said agricultural vehicle is loaded with a hoeing device according to any of claims 1 to 5.

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