Work Vehicle Blade Grade Control via Pitch Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Work vehicles with ground-engaging blades face challenges in maintaining a consistent grade due to pitching motions caused by encountering vertical ground variations, leading to uneven surfaces and reduced efficiency in grade control.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that utilize sensors to provide inclination, roll, and heading signals for both the chassis and the blade, allowing a controller to determine a target grade and calculate distance errors to adjust the blade's position accordingly, ensuring accurate grade control despite pitching motions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If ground-engaging blade is placed in front of work vehicle tires or tracks, then grading capability is improved, but pitch-induced blade movement is amplified causing washboard surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses sensors to continuously monitor blade position and vehicle pitch angle, feeding this information back to the control system which automatically adjusts blade height to compensate for pitch-induced movements, thereby maintaining surface smoothness while preserving grading capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual operator intervention with an automated electronic control system that uses sensors and actuators to maintain blade position, eliminating the need for continuous manual adjustment and preventing washboard surface formation
2Device complexity
If manual grade control is used, then system complexity is reduced, but operator intervention is required to correct pitch-induced blade movement
Solution Approach 1:
The control system automatically monitors blade position and vehicle pitch, then self-adjusts blade height without operator intervention, making the system operate itself and eliminating the need for continuous manual correction
3Manufacturing precision
If automated sensor-based control is implemented, then grade control precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control system integrates multiple functions into a single automated unit that simultaneously monitors blade position, measures vehicle pitch, calculates compensation requirements, and actuates blade adjustment, reducing overall system complexity despite the advanced control capabilities
Data Source
AI summary
A work vehicle may include a chassis, a ground-engaging blade, a first sensor, a second sensor, and a controller. The blade may be movably connected to the chassis via a linkage assembly configured to allow the blade to be raised and lowered and moved in a roll direction. The first sensor may be configured to provide a chassis inclination signal indicative of a main fall angle, a chassis roll signal indicative of a cross slope angle, and a chassis heading signal. The second sensor may be configured to provide a blade inclination signal and a blade roll signal. The controller may be configured to receive the signals, determine a target grade, determine a distance error based on the signals indicative of a distance between the blade and the target grade, and send a command to move the blade toward the target grade based on the distance error.