STEERING CONTROLLER FOR PRECISION FARMING

摘要

A steering controller can control steering of a vehicle and is suitable for precision farm controlling. The steering controller can rotate the steering shaft of the vehicle direct the vehicle on a desired path, for example, using a satellite positioning system. Components of the steering controller are environmental protected by a housing that has an opening extending between its front and rear surfaces. The opening is lined by a shaft. A hub located near the front of the opening can be coupled to the steering shaft of the vehicle. A motor has a stator fixed to the housing and a rotor fixed to the hub. When the housing is attached to a fixed location on the vehicle, the motor can rotate the steering shaft by rotating the hub with respect to the housing. A control module drives the motor based on commands from a guidance module.

主权项

1. A computer-implemented method of controlling a steering system of a vehicle, the method comprising the steps:
setting a plurality of programmable parameters of a steering controller, said steering controller comprising a processor, a processor module, a storage medium, and software comprising an override algorithm; receiving instructions to engage automatic steering controls with said steering controller; instructing a steering assembly to engage, thereby taking control of steering system of the vehicle; wherein said steering assembly comprises:
a housing having a cylindrical opening extending from a front surface of the housing to a rear surface of the housing, the cylindrical opening lined by a shaft;a donut having an annular shape, the donut disposed around and rotatably coupled to the shaft;a hub disposed concentrically with the cylindrical opening proximate the front surface of the housing and fixedly coupled to the donut, the hub arranged for coupling to a steering shaft of the vehicle;a motor comprising a stator fixedly coupled to the housing and a rotor fixedly coupled to the donut, the motor comprising a three-phase brushless DC motor, and the controller module being arranged to determine a commutation sequence of the motor by sensing an operator's rotation of the hub;a control module arranged to drive the motor based on commands from said steering controller, the control module comprising a monitor module configured to limit torque applied by the motor between the hub and the housing;the monitor module is further configured to sense torque of the hub applied by an operator of the vehicle and disengage the steering controller from controlling steering of the vehicle when the magnitude of the torque exceeds a torque threshold;the control module is operable in a velocity control mode that causes the motor to rotate the hub relative to the housing at a desired angular velocity;the control module is further operable in a position control mode that causes the motor to rotate the hub relative to the housing to a desired angular position;a seal seat having an annular shape and disposed at an opening in the front surface of the housing and seal having an annular shape and disposed about the hub and adjacent the seal seat, the seal seat and seal having interspersed ridges arranged to deter intrusion of foreign matter into the steering controller; anda front bearing and a rear bearing, wherein the donut is rotatably coupled to the shaft via the front bearing and the rear bearing, wherein the front bearing is disposed at a rabbet at the front edge of the donut and the rear bearing is disposed at a rabbet at the rear edge of the donut; steering said vehicle with said steering assembly based upon commands received from said steering controller; monitoring torque of the hub with said monitor module; signaling said steering controller with said monitor module that torque of the hub exceeds said torque threshold; and automatically disengaging automatic steering of said steering assembly.