Automatically Leanable Wheels for Motor Graders
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Solution Overview
Problem
Motor graders face challenges in managing wheel-lean angles effectively, particularly when operating in varying conditions such as ditching and road maintenance, as operators need to manually adjust multiple machine systems simultaneously, leading to reduced productivity.
Innovation Solution
A work vehicle with automatically controlled leanable wheels that adjust based on external factors like draft load, moldboard position, turning radius, engine speed, and vehicle inclination, using sensors and a control unit to determine and maintain optimal wheel-lean angles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If manual control of wheel-lean is implemented, then the operator can adjust wheel-lean angles for different work conditions, but the operator must simultaneously manage multiple machine systems reducing productivity
Solution Approach 1:
The wheel-lean system automatically adjusts itself based on sensed operating conditions (blade angle, lateral force, turn rate) without requiring operator intervention. The control system processes sensor inputs and commands actuator adjustments autonomously, allowing the operator to focus on primary grading tasks while the system self-regulates wheel-lean angles for optimal performance
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors operating conditions through sensors (blade angle sensors, lateral force sensors, turn rate sensors) and uses this feedback to dynamically adjust wheel-lean angles. The control system compares sensed conditions with desired performance parameters and makes real-time adjustments to maintain optimal wheel-lean positioning
2Productivity
If automatic wheel-lean control is implemented, then productivity is improved by reducing operator workload, but device complexity increases due to sensors and control systems
Solution Approach 1:
The control system integrates multiple functions into a single automated wheel-lean control unit that processes various sensor inputs (blade angle, lateral force, turn rate) and coordinates actuator responses. This multi-functional approach consolidates what would otherwise require separate control mechanisms into one unified system, managing complexity through functional integration
Solution Approach 2:
The control system acts as an intermediary between the physical operating conditions (sensed by sensors) and the wheel-lean actuators. It translates complex sensor data about blade angle, lateral forces, and turn rates into simplified actuator commands, mediating between the multifaceted operating environment and the actuation mechanism
Data Source
AI summary
A work vehicle includes one or more leanable wheels, in which the lean angle of each leanable wheel is automatically controlled according to one or more external factors. Factors influencing the lean angle of each leanable wheel may include: draft load arising from externally imposed forces, such as forces arising from moving earthen materials with a vehicle-mounted moldboard; the rotational position of such a moldboard with respect to direction of travel; turning radius of the vehicle during a turning maneuver; engine speed and/or transmission gear; and the angle of the vehicle itself with respect to vertical (i.e., whether the vehicle is on sloped ground). A control system may automatically adjust wheel-lean depending on inputs indicative of any combination of the above-mentioned external factors.