Agricultural Actuator Position Sensor Using Magnetometer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sensors for agricultural implements are either integrated into the actuator, making them difficult to install and maintain, or are external sensors that struggle in harsh environmental conditions such as dust, debris, and water. Additionally, they often provide only end-of-travel responses and lack continuous feedback as the actuator moves through a range of travel.
Innovation Solution
A non-contact magnetometer-based sensor system that can be installed externally on agricultural implements, providing continuous position, travel direction, and movement speed monitoring. The system includes a magnet and a magnetometer, which correlate 3-dimensional readings to the stroke of a cylinder, allowing for precise position determination and velocity calculation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If sensors are integrated into the actuator construction, then continuous position feedback is available, but installation and maintenance become difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor system is divided into separate components: a magnetometer unit and a magnet unit that can be installed independently on the actuator and implement respectively. This segmentation allows continuous position feedback while maintaining ease of installation and maintenance by avoiding integrated sensor construction.
2Ease of operation
If external sensors are used to avoid integration complexity, then installation ease improves, but reliability in harsh environmental conditions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces contact-based mechanical sensors with a non-contact magnetometer system. The magnetometer detects position through magnetic field interactions without physical contact, eliminating wear and contamination issues while maintaining external installation simplicity. This substitution significantly improves reliability in harsh agricultural environments with dust, debris, and water.
3Reliability
If mechanical limit switches are used, then end-of-travel response is provided, but continuous feedback during actuator travel is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The magnetometer-based system provides continuous position feedback throughout the entire actuator travel range, eliminating the information loss inherent in mechanical limit switches. The non-contact magnetic sensing enables uninterrupted measurement from start to end of travel, maintaining continuous feedback while ensuring reliable end-of-travel detection.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The sensor system enables continuous and accurate monitoring of actuator positions and velocities, even in harsh environmental conditions, facilitating autonomous operations and improving the reliability and efficiency of agricultural implement control systems.
Implementation Method 1
The sensor system includes a magnet and a magnetometer, which correlate 3-dimensional readings to the stroke of a cylinder
Implementation Method 2
A non-contact magnetometer-based sensor system that can be installed externally on agricultural implements
Data Source
AI summary
An agricultural implement control system, comprising at least one position sensor in association with at least one actuator and a processor in communication with the at least one position sensor configured to determine a position of the at least one actuator. The system where the at least one position sensor comprises a magnetometer and a magnet. The system including a controller wherein is controller is configured to start and stop an implement operation based on the position of the at least one actuator.