Actuator Control Unit for Mobile Working Machine End Stop Management
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Mobile work machines with hydraulic or electrical actuators face inefficiencies due to hard end stops, which lead to energy losses, increased wear, and reduced service life, especially when operating beyond designed load ranges or speeds.
Innovation Solution
Implementing an electrical and/or electronic control unit that deactivates or interrupts the drive unit at end stops, allowing for adjustable end positions and damping, enabling energy-efficient operation and longer component lifespan, and expanding functionalities by allowing for customizable adjustment ranges and damping profiles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If hard end stops are used to limit actuator travel, then mechanical protection is provided, but significant energy losses occur and component wear increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical hard end stops with an electronic control system that detects actuator position and interrupts drive signals before mechanical contact occurs. This substitution eliminates the need for physical damping components while preventing energy losses and reducing wear on mechanical components.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit acts as an intermediary between the actuator and the drive system. It monitors actuator position through feedback sensors and selectively interrupts drive signals to prevent reaching mechanical end stops, thereby mediating the interaction to eliminate energy losses and protect components without mechanical contact.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If end-position damping components are added to actuators, then mechanical stress is reduced, but device complexity increases and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates mechanical damping components by implementing electronic control that prevents the actuator from reaching positions where mechanical stress would occur. The control unit interrupts drive signals based on position feedback, replacing physical damping mechanisms with electronic control.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts and removes the need for mechanical damping components entirely. By using electronic control to prevent reach of end stops, the system eliminates the requirement for additional damping hardware, simplifying the actuator design while maintaining protection against mechanical stress.
3Productivity
If actuators continue operating beyond end stops, then work continuity is maintained, but significant power losses occur and cooling requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback control system where position sensors continuously monitor actuator location and feed this information to the control unit. The control unit uses this feedback to automatically interrupt drive signals when approaching end stops, preventing power losses while allowing work continuity through intelligent control rather than mechanical limitation.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
AI summary
A mobile working machine is proposed, comprising a support frame and a drive unit having at least one electric and/or hydraulic actuator for driving at least one drive element and/or a working tool having at least one working tip and/or working edge, wherein at least one electrical and/or electronic control unit is provided, wherein a first end stop and a second end stop are provided, which at least partially improves the disadvantages of the prior art, in particular ensuring more energy-efficient operation or a longer service life and/or enabling novel functionalities.According to the invention, this is achieved by designing the electrical and/or electronic control unit in such a way that, upon reaching the first and/or second end stop, it deactivates the drive unit and/or the actuator and/or interrupts/terminates the energy supply to the drive unit and/or the actuator.