Agricultural Vehicle Crawler Steering Mode Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Agricultural vehicles with driven caterpillar tracks exhibit unexpected steering behavior when transitioning from a standstill to motion, leading to reduced driving comfort and increased risk of accidents due to the difference in steering response compared to wheeled vehicles.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a control device that allows the vehicle to operate in two distinct driving modes, mimicking the behavior of a wheeled vehicle in one mode and a fully tracked vehicle in another, with visual feedback to the operator, enabling them to select and adapt to the expected steering behavior.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the vehicle is equipped with driven caterpillar tracks and uses differential steering, then the vehicle achieves effective steering control, but the vehicle exhibits unexpected steering behavior when transitioning from standstill to motion, causing reduced driving comfort and safety
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic driving mode selection system that allows the vehicle to switch between first driving mode (mimicking wheeled vehicle behavior) and second driving mode (fully tracked vehicle behavior). This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction by enabling the operator to select the appropriate steering behavior pattern, making the vehicle's steering response predictable and comfortable while retaining the full steering control capability of differential caterpillar drives
2Productivity
If the vehicle operates in fully tracked mode with differential steering, then the vehicle achieves effective steering control, but soil accumulation occurs during cornering, reducing operational efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the steering control parameters by implementing two distinct driving modes with different steering angle interpretations. In the first driving mode, the steering angle is converted to control the differential caterpillar drives in a manner that mimics wheeled vehicle steering geometry, which reduces soil accumulation during cornering while maintaining effective steering control and operational efficiency
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to an agricultural vehicle (1) comprising at least two driven crawler tracks (3) which can be controlled by a control device (5) with regard to their driving and steering behavior, wherein impulses generated by a steering device (12) due to a steering angle can be converted by the control device (5) to control the driven crawler tracks (5) in a manner representing the steering angle, wherein the control device (5) is configured to operate the vehicle (1) in at least a first driving mode and a second driving mode, wherein in the first driving mode the driving and steering behavior essentially corresponds to that of a wheeled vehicle and in the second driving mode the driving and steering behavior essentially corresponds to that of a fully tracked vehicle.