Application Boom Hydraulic Pressure Control for Consistent Spring Rate
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing control devices for agricultural application devices decouple the spring rate of the application boom from its pivot position, leading to inconsistent stiffness and movement quality, especially when navigating uneven terrain or changing pivot directions.
Innovation Solution
The control device independently adjusts the pressure on the cylinder effective areas, allowing for variable spring rates and damping of the application boom through a pressure control system with a pressure limiting element and proportional valves, decoupling spring rate from pivot position and enabling precise control of the boom's movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the cylinder effective areas are pressurized to adjust the pivot position of the application boom, then the pivot position can be varied, but the spring rate changes with the pivot position
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the spring rate adjustable rather than fixed. The pressure control device dynamically adjusts the pressure in the hydraulic accumulators connected to the cylinder effective areas, allowing the spring rate to be adapted to different operating conditions while maintaining consistency within each adjusted state. This resolves the contradiction by enabling both pivot position variability and spring rate consistency through active pressure management.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the pressure parameter in the hydraulic system to independently control the spring rate. By using a pressure control device that can adjust the pressure in the cylinder effective areas separately from the pivot position control, the system can maintain a consistent spring rate across different pivot positions. This parameter change approach allows decoupling of spring rate from pivot position, resolving the technical contradiction.
2Manufacturing precision
If the spring rate is adjusted to improve movement precision, then the damping characteristics change, but this affects the boom's stability on uneven terrain
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses dynamics to enable real-time adjustment of both spring rate and damping characteristics. The pressure control device can adaptively modify hydraulic pressure to optimize movement precision while maintaining stability on uneven terrain. This dynamic adjustment capability allows the system to respond to different operational requirements and terrain conditions, resolving the contradiction between precision and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes pressure parameters in the hydraulic system to independently control both spring rate and damping characteristics. By adjusting the pressure in the cylinder effective areas and accumulator connections, the system can optimize movement precision without compromising stability. This parameter control approach allows simultaneous optimization of both precision and reliability, resolving the technical contradiction.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution allows for consistent and adjustable stiffness and damping of the application boom, improving its movement precision and stability across varying terrain and pivot directions, enhancing the application of substances like fertilizers and pesticides.
Implementation Method 1
The cylinder effective areas can be pressurized with pressurized hydraulic fluid via the valve arrangement
Implementation Method 2
The two cylinder effective areas are each connected to a hydraulic accumulator, so that the piston, and with this, the two cylinder effective areas are mounted spring-loaded
Implementation Method 3
The control device independently adjusts the pressure on the cylinder effective areas, allowing for variable spring rates and damping of the application boom through a pressure control system with a pressure limiting element and proportional valves
Data Source
AI summary
A control device for an agricultural application device which has an application boom pivotally mounted on a carrier, on which application components are arranged for applying liquid and/or solid active substances. The control device has a pressure supply connection and a return connection and a controllable valve arrangement and a hydraulic cylinder arrangement, which has a first cylinder effective area, connected to the valve arrangement and a second cylinder effective area, wherein the two cylinder effective areas can be pressurized and each are connected to a hydraulic accumulator, and wherein the pivot position of the application boom is variable by changing the switching state of the valve arrangement. In order to further develop the control device in such a way that the spring rate of the application boom can be decoupled from its pivot position, it is proposed according to the invention that the cylinder effective areas can be pressurized with a predeterminable pressure independent of the pivot position of the application boom. In addition, an agricultural application device having such a control device is proposed.