Automatic Tire Pressure Adjustment for Off-Road Equipment
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing size and weight of off-road equipment lead to soil compaction issues due to inadequate tire pressure adjustment during configuration changes, such as transitioning between field-use and transport configurations.
Innovation Solution
A central tire inflation system that determines configuration changes and automatically adjusts tire pressure using a controller and tire inflation controller, coupled with configuration sensors, to increase pressure for transport and reduce pressure for field-use configurations, thereby optimizing tire load distribution and minimizing soil compaction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If tire pressure is increased for transport configuration, then road transport efficiency is improved, but soil compaction increases during field operations
Solution Approach 1:
The tire pressure is made dynamically adjustable based on the machine's configuration state. The system automatically increases tire pressure when transitioning to transport configuration for efficient road travel, and reduces pressure when in field-use configuration to minimize soil compaction. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction by allowing the tire pressure to change according to operational requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The physical parameter of tire pressure is changed based on configuration detection. The system detects configuration changes (such as attachment presence or machine state) and automatically adjusts tire pressure accordingly - higher pressure for transport, lower pressure for field operations. This parameter change enables the system to optimize for different operational modes without manual intervention.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If tire pressure is reduced for field-use configuration, then soil compaction is minimized, but road transport efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The tire pressure system dynamically adjusts based on real-time detection of machine configuration. When the system detects field-use configuration (lower priority on transport efficiency), it reduces tire pressure to minimize soil compaction. When transport configuration is detected, it increases pressure for efficient road travel. This dynamic response resolves the contradiction by adapting pressure to current operational needs.
Solution Approach 2:
The tire pressure parameter is automatically changed in response to configuration detection. The system maintains lower pressure during field operations to protect soil, then transitions to higher pressure for road transport. This automatic parameter adjustment eliminates the need to choose between soil protection and transport efficiency - both are optimized for their respective operational contexts.
3Device complexity
If manual tire pressure adjustment is used, then system complexity is reduced, but operational efficiency deteriorates due to inadequate pressure adjustment during configuration changes
Solution Approach 1:
The tire pressure adjustment system operates autonomously by detecting machine configuration changes and automatically adjusting pressure without operator intervention. The configuration sensors and control system work together to self-regulate tire pressure based on whether the machine is in field-use or transport configuration. This self-service capability resolves the contradiction by eliminating manual adjustment while maintaining optimal pressure settings.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a feedback loop where configuration sensors continuously monitor machine state, and the control system adjusts tire pressure in response to detected configuration changes. This closed-loop feedback mechanism automatically optimizes tire pressure for current operations, resolving the contradiction between system simplicity and operational efficiency by using minimal sensing and control components to achieve automatic adaptation.
Data Source
AI summary
In accordance with an example embodiment, a method comprising determining a change in configuration of a mobile machine, and in response to determining the change in configuration, initiating adjustment of a pressure of at least one tire of the mobile machine is disclosed.