Agricultural Boom Level Control via Vehicle Flexure Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing agricultural spraying equipment boom systems face instability due to the inherent flexibility of vehicles and mounting equipment, leading to issues like wing tip impact on the ground when encountering undulating surfaces.
Innovation Solution
A boom level control system that generates a signal to control the level of moveable wings by determining an initial control signal based on wing positions and a compensating signal that accounts for the flexural properties of the vehicle and mounting equipment, ensuring stable operation across varying terrain.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the boom wings are made long to cover wider spraying area, then the productivity is improved, but the stability of wing height control deteriorates due to amplified elevational movement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the center frame support structure movable relative to the vehicle body through a height adjustment mechanism. This allows the center frame to dynamically adapt to vehicle body movements, isolating the long boom wings from elevational disturbances and maintaining stable wing height control over wide spraying areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The center frame support structure serves as an intermediary between the vehicle body and the boom wings. It decouples the connection, allowing independent movement of the vehicle body without directly transmitting elevational movements to the wings, thus stabilizing wing height while maintaining long span for productivity.
2Strength
If the vehicle and mounting hardware are made rigid for structural strength, then the strength is improved, but the control system stability deteriorates due to flex-type dynamics and non-linearities
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamic flexibility through the height adjustment mechanism that allows the center frame to move relative to the vehicle body. This controlled flexibility compensates for unwanted flex-type dynamics in the rigid vehicle and mounting hardware, stabilizing the control system by absorbing non-linearities and vibrations.
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
Methods and systems are provided for controlling the level relative to ground of moveable wings in a spray system that includes the moveable wings mounted to a common center frame support structure attached to an associated work vehicle to form a pair of opposed independently moveable wings extending laterally from the associated work vehicle. An initial control signal is determined for moving the moveable wings based on positions of the moveable wings relative to the ground. A compensating signal is determined for compensating the initial control signal, wherein the compensating signal is derived independent from the position of the moveable wings relative to the ground and includes a flexure component dependent upon one or more flexural properties of the associated work vehicle. A level control output signal is generated for controlling the level of the moveable wings based on a combination of the initial control signal and the compensating signal.