Electromagnetic Lever Cruise Control for Work Machine Speed Holding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Work machines, such as trenchers and excavators, face challenges in maintaining constant speed and direction while allowing operators to focus on attachment operations, as existing control systems require continuous manual adjustment of levers or joysticks to manage ground engagement systems effectively.
Innovation Solution
A control system incorporating dual levers or a joystick with electromagnets that maintain a magnetic engagement to overcome the neutral bias, allowing for hands-free cruise control and adjustable speed and steering without disengaging the cruise system, while ensuring the system remains active only when the operator is present.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If continuous manual adjustment of levers is required to manage ground engagement systems, then the operator can maintain precise control over speed and direction, but the operator's attention is diverted from attachment operations and manual effort increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cruise control system allows the lever to maintain its position automatically through electromagnetic engagement, enabling the system to self-regulate speed and direction without continuous manual adjustment. This frees the operator to focus on attachment operations while the control system maintains constant speed and direction independently
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces continuous manual mechanical lever adjustment with an electromagnetic retention system. The electromagnet engages with the lever to hold it in a selected position, substituting automatic electromagnetic control for continuous manual mechanical manipulation, thereby reducing operator effort and improving productivity
2Reliability
If a lever retention system uses a rotating component carried by the lever, then the system can maintain engagement throughout the lever's range of motion, but the component complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The rotating component serves multiple functions: it is carried by the lever throughout its range of motion, maintains face-to-face relationship with the non-rotating component for consistent engagement, and works with the electromagnet to provide reliable retention. This multi-functional design achieves reliable engagement without proportionally increasing complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The rotating and non-rotating components act as intermediaries between the lever and the electromagnet. They maintain a face-to-face relationship that ensures consistent magnetic engagement throughout the lever's range of motion, providing reliable retention while distributing the functional requirements across multiple components
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
Enables operators to maintain constant speed and direction with reduced manual effort, allowing focus on attachment operations, while ensuring safe and efficient operation by automatically adjusting for terrain changes and preventing engine overload.
Implementation Method 1
A selected one of the rotating and non-rotating components is an electromagnet having a field strength sufficient, when actuated, to engage the unselected one of the components and overcome the bias of the lever
Implementation Method 2
The unselected one of the rotating and non-rotating components is a body of ferromagnetic material
Data Source
AI summary
A cruise control system for work machines. The system comprises one or more levers for controlling the velocity of the work machine and one or more magnet assemblies. The magnet assemblies comprise means of overcoming the neutral bias of a control lever so that the velocity of the work machine may be maintained without manual input from the operator. The magnets may act directly upon a control lever or a surface adjacent a control lever. Additional controls may be employed to set a maximum cruising speed for the work machine when cruise control is engaged.