2023 Volume 85 Issue 2 Pages 97-106
As the first step in realizing autonomous hitching of agricultural implements, a hitch coupler prototype was developed to allow quick implement hitching and to eliminate manual operations such as coupling of hydraulic/electric connectors. Hitching tests conducted on concrete and grassland surfaces revealed that the position and angular tolerance of the hitch coupler at the final tractor-implement alignment were approximately 3-5 cm and 5 °, respectively. When the hitch coupler was optimally positioned between the tractor and implement, it could attach different implements with implement movement of less than 2.3 cm and 2.1 °. This also considerably reduced the hitching/unhitching time by up to 85.7 % compared with that of the conventional methods.
