Granted Patent B2

US 12,434,523 · App. 17/990,111 · Granted Oct 7, 2025

Inventors: Mitchell Sandey (Manitowoc, WI); Roy A. Bittner (Reedsville, WI)

Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC

B60G17/0152B60G17/0165B60G17/01908B60G2300/083B60G2400/0512B60G2400/252B60G2500/30B60G2600/18B60G2800/912B60G2800/914

Abstract

Claims (49)

1. A suspension control system comprising:

a chassis;

a suspension component operably coupled with the chassis;

a boom assembly operably coupled with the chassis;

one or more sensors configured to generate data indicative of a chassis orientation or boom assembly orientation relative to a level axis; and

a computing system communicatively coupled to the one or more sensors, the computing system being configured to:

calculate an offset angle between a heading axis of the chassis and the level axis based on data from the one or more sensors;

compare the offset angle to a defined correction threshold; and

generate instructions to actuate the suspension component to lower the suspension component relative to a ground surface from a first position to a second position by a correction factor when the offset angle exceeds the defined correction threshold, wherein the offset angle exists in the first position and the second position.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the correction factor is a stroke change of a cylinder of the suspension component corresponding to the offset angle.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the correction factor is an upper threshold of a correction factor range when an absolute value of the offset angle is greater than the upper threshold of the correction factor range.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors includes one or more orientation sensors configured to capture data indicative of an orientation of the chassis in a fore-aft direction.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the suspension component is one or more suspension assemblies respectively coupled to one or more wheel assemblies, and wherein each of the one or more suspension assemblies is moveable between the first position and the second position through actuation of an actuator.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the suspension component is a boom suspension, and wherein the boom suspension is movable between a first height and a second height.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors includes one or more height sensors configured to capture data indicative of a height from the one or more height sensors to at least one of a ground surface or a canopy region of a crop within a field.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein lowering of the suspension component reduces an offset distance between a nozzle fan axis from a first distance from a defined target to a second distance from the defined target, and wherein the second distance is less than the first distance.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the computing system is further configured to:

update one or more spraying operations based on the actuation of the one or more suspension assemblies or the boom suspension.

10. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a product application system including one or more nozzle assemblies operably coupled with the boom assembly,

wherein an activation time of the one or more nozzle assemblies is at least partially based on the height of the boom assembly relative to a ground surface after the boom assembly is lowered by the correction factor.

11. A method for operating an agricultural vehicle, the method comprising:

capturing data, from one or more sensors, indicative of an offset angle between a heading axis of a chassis relative to a level axis;

determining, with a computing system, the offset angle based on the data from the one or more sensors; and

generating, with the computing system, instructions to actuate a suspension component to lower a suspension component from a first position to a second position by a correction factor based on the offset angle and a defined correction threshold, wherein actuating the suspension component alters a height of a first boom arm on a first side of a boom frame and a second boom arm on an opposing second side of the boom frame, the first boom arm and the second boom arm moving in a common direction relative to a ground surface, and wherein the heading axis of the chassis is offset from the level axis in the first position and the second position.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the one or more sensors are configured as pressure sensors, and wherein determining the offset angle based on the data from the one or more sensors further comprises detecting cylinders within suspension assemblies on a fore portion of the chassis deviating from their respective default positions in a first direction and cylinders within suspension assemblies on an aft portion of the chassis deviating from their respective default positions in a second direction.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the one or more sensors are configured as an orientation sensor operably coupled with the chassis.

14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

capturing data, from one or more height sensors, indicative of a boom assembly height relative to a ground surface; and

updating one or more spraying operations based on movement of the suspension component.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein updating the one or more spraying operations based on movement of the suspension component comprises determining, with the computing system, a nozzle activation time based at least in part on the boom assembly height.

16. A suspension control system comprising:

a chassis;

one or more wheel assemblies;

one or more suspension assemblies respectively coupled to the one or more wheel assemblies, wherein each of the one or more suspension assemblies is moveable between a first position and a second position through actuation of an actuator;

a boom assembly operably coupled with the chassis through a boom suspension;

one or more sensors configured to generate data indicative of a chassis orientation or boom assembly orientation relative to a level axis;

a product application system including one or more nozzle assemblies operably coupled with the boom assembly; and

a computing system communicatively coupled to the one or more sensors, the computing system being configured to:

calculate an offset angle between a heading axis of the chassis and the level axis based on data from the one or more sensors;

compare the offset angle to a defined correction threshold;

generate instructions to actuate at least one of the one or more suspension assemblies or the boom suspension to lower the length of the boom assembly relative to a ground surface from a first position to a second position by a correction factor when the offset angle exceeds the defined correction threshold, wherein the defined correction threshold defines a lower limit of a correction factor range, and wherein the heading axis of the chassis is offset from the level axis in the first position and the second position; and

activate the one or more nozzles, wherein an activation time of the one or more nozzle assemblies is at least partially based on the height of the boom assembly relative to a ground surface.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the computing system is further configured to:

update one or more spraying operations based on the actuation of the one or more suspension assemblies or the boom suspension.

18. The system of claim 16 , wherein the computing system is further configured to:

monitor, with one or more height sensors, a height of the boom assembly relative to a canopy region of a crop.

19. The system of claim 16 , wherein the computing system is further configured to:

reset a default position of the chassis based on the data from one or more orientation sensors once a defined movement of the one or more suspension assemblies has been completed.

Assignments (2)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (53)