Suspended Boom Sprayer Control System Torque Compensation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional boom sprayer control systems face challenges in accurately measuring and mitigating the effects of chassis rotation on boom wings, leading to uneven spray application and potential damage due to the complexity of suspension systems and reliance on displacement measurements, which can be attenuated by damping elements.

Innovation Solution

A control system utilizing first and second sensors on the boom wings to measure tangential accelerations or angular velocities, determining differential acceleration to calculate disturbance torque, and using actuators to counteract this torque, thereby restoring the wings to their desired position without requiring additional reference sensors.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If displacement measurements are used to control boom position, then the control system can track boom position, but the measurement precision is reduced due to attenuation by damping elements in the suspension system

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveboom position measurement precisionVSAvoidsuspension system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the measurement function from the suspension system by placing sensors directly on the boom wings rather than measuring displacement through the suspension elements. This removes the attenuation problem caused by damping elements while maintaining position tracking capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces mechanical displacement measurement through suspension elements with direct sensor measurement on the boom wings. This substitution eliminates the attenuation effect of damping elements and provides more accurate measurement of actual boom position.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Measurement precision

If additional reference sensors are added to improve measurement accuracy, then measurement precision improves, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedisturbance torque measurement precisionVSAvoidsensor quantity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The boom wings themselves serve as the reference frame for measurement. By measuring differential acceleration between the two wings, the system uses the wings' own motion characteristics to determine disturbance torque without requiring external reference sensors on the chassis.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent divides the measurement function into two separate sensors on the left and right boom wings, measuring their respective accelerations independently. The differential between these measurements provides the disturbance torque information, eliminating the need for a third reference sensor.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Productivity

If long boom wings are used to cover wider swathes, then productivity increases, but the boom becomes more sensitive to chassis rotation causing spray application uniformity to deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveswathe coverage widthVSAvoidspray application uniformity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a feedback control system where sensors continuously measure the actual acceleration and disturbance torque on the boom wings, and actuators apply counteracting forces based on these measurements to maintain uniform spray application despite chassis rotation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system applies preliminary counteracting forces to the boom wings before the chassis rotation can significantly affect spray uniformity. By continuously measuring disturbance torque and applying opposing forces, the system prevents rather than corrects spray application deviations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

4Stability of the object's composition

If suspension elements are added to reduce chassis rotation effects, then spray application uniformity improves, but measurement precision deteriorates due to damping attenuation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespray application uniformityVSAvoidboom position measurement precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the measurement function from the suspension system by placing sensors directly on the boom wings. This removes the measurement path through damping elements while maintaining the suspension elements' function of reducing chassis rotation effects on spray uniformity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent separates the measurement function from the suspension function. Sensors on the boom wings measure actual position and acceleration directly, while the suspension elements independently provide stability without interfering with measurement precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

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 approach provides more accurate control of boom wings by directly measuring torque applied through mechanical connection, reducing errors from other suspension elements and improving sensitivity and performance by using fewer sensors and accounting for all suspension elements influencing the boom mass.

Implementation Method 1

first and second sensors, each configured to be disposed on respective first and second boom wings of the suspended boom sprayer and to provide an output responsive to a rotation of the first and second wings caused by a disturbance torque

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAcceleration measurement: Accelerometer

Implementation Method 2

first and second sensors, each configured to be disposed on respective first and second boom wings of the suspended boom sprayer and to provide an output responsive to a rotation of the first and second wings

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAngular velocity measurement: Gyroscope

Implementation Method 3

a processor, configured to determine a differential acceleration between the first and second wings based on the outputs of the respective sensors, and to determine the disturbance torque corresponding to the differential acceleration

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDifferential acceleration measurement: Inertia

Implementation Method 4

at least one actuator, controllable to move one or both of the first and second wings in order to counter the disturbance torque

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCounteracting torque: Torque

Data Source

PatentEP3092897B1Control system and method for a suspended boom sprayer
Publication Date: 2021.04.14 TOPCON AGRI CANADA INC
  • EP3092897B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3092897B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP3092897B1 patent drawingFigure 4A~4B

AI summary

A control system for a suspended boom sprayer of a vehicle comprises: first and second sensors (111 a, 112a) each configured to be disposed on respective first and second boom wings (111, 112) of the suspended boom sprayer and to provide an output responsive to a rotation of the first and second wings (111, 112) caused by a disturbance torque; a processor (118), configured to determine a differential acceleration between the first and second wings (111, 112) based on the outputs of the respective sensors (111 a, 112a), and to determine the disturbance torque corresponding to the differential acceleration; and at least one actuator (115), controllable to move one or both of the first and second wings (111, 112) in order to counter the disturbance torque.