Agricultural Machine State Determination Device Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing self-propelled agricultural machines lack a unified control and regulation system for their drive motors and working units, leading to inefficiencies in operating modes and increased computing effort, as well as limitations in adapting to different agricultural tasks without additional adjustments.

Innovation Solution

A self-propelled agricultural machine with a status determination device that communicates operating states to all control and regulating devices, allowing for uniform control and regulation of the drive motor and working units, including adjustable couplings and a CAN bus system for sensor-based data transmission, enabling optimized speed and energy management based on the machine's operating state.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If separate control devices are used for the drive motor and working units, then each component can be controlled independently, but the overall system complexity increases and computing effort is wasted

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol efficiencyVSAvoidcontrol system structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the control functions by introducing a central control device that receives operating state information from the status determination device and distributes unified control commands to both the drive motor control device and working unit control devices. This consolidation eliminates redundant computing efforts and simplifies the overall control architecture while maintaining independent control capabilities of individual components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Adaptability or versatility

If no unified operating state determination is implemented, then each control device operates independently, but the machine cannot adapt uniformly to different operating modes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadaptation to operating modesVSAvoidoperating state information
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a feedback mechanism through the status determination device that continuously monitors the actual operating state of the agricultural machine and provides this information to the central control device. This feedback loop enables the control system to detect changes in operating modes (such as transitioning from harvesting to road driving) and automatically adjust control parameters across all components to maintain optimal performance while reducing computing effort through unified decision-making.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP4360434A1Agricultural machine with a state determining device
Publication Date: 2024.05.01 CLAAS SELBSTFAHRENDE ERNTEMASCHINEN GMBH
  • EP4360434A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4360434A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4360434A1 patent drawing

AI summary

The present invention relates to a self-propelled agricultural machine (1) for picking up, processing and conveying harvested crops (2). The present invention is based on the general concept that a drive motor (3) as well as working units (5) of the agricultural machine (1) are controlled and/or regulated according to a uniformly determined operating state.