Abstract: A system is provided for monitoring spacing during working operation between a first vehicle and at least one further self-propelled vehicle. A beam source is on one vehicle (source vehicle). A sensor arrangement on another vehicle (target vehicle) extends along a sensor axis. In a predetermined reference state, with the vehicles having a predetermined reference spacing apart, the beam source radiates toward the target vehicle electromagnetic radiation such that a predetermined sensor-axial reference detection region on the sensor arrangement is irradiated by the beam source. A change in the vehicle spacing results in a change, along the sensor axis, in the position of the detection region on the irradiated sensor arrangement, and thus in a change in the detection state of the sensor arrangement. Based on the detection state which depends on an actual spacing of the source and target vehicles, a spacing signal is generated with vehicle spacing information.

Abstract: A working combination (10) having self-propelled first (12) and further vehicles (14) that are embodied to move one behind another with a setpoint spacing (D) in a working direction (A); the working combination (10) having a spacing monitoring device (26) that outputs a spacing signal on the basis of a detection state of the spacing monitoring device (26) which depends on the actual spacing (D) of the vehicles (12, 14), and that comprises a beam source (28) and a sensor arrangement (30) detecting the radiation (32) of the beam source (28); one vehicle (12), constituting a source vehicle (12), carrying the beam source (18); the beam source (28) radiating, toward the respective other vehicle (14) constituting a target vehicle (14), an electromagnetic radiation (32) directed in such a way that the radiation (32) is present only in a beam space (40) that extends over a first angular region (43) around a first beam space axis (42) and over a second angular region (46) around a second beam space axis (44) and that