Finishing Tool Height Control for Agricultural Tillage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing agricultural tillage implements face challenges in efficiently controlling the position of finishing tools, such as rolling baskets, during turns and transitions between working and non-working modes, leading to undesirable contact with the soil or obstructions.
Innovation Solution
A finishing tool position control system that includes a controller with a memory and processor, coupled with sensor assemblies to monitor the height of the main frame and finishing tools above the soil surface. This system adjusts the height of the finishing tools in response to threshold adjustments or operation mode changes, ensuring consistent and efficient operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the finishing tool height is manually controlled during turns, then the operator can respond to soil contact, but the response time is delayed and contact damage occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The controller proactively raises the finishing tool height in response to detected main frame height changes before soil contact occurs. The system monitors main frame position continuously and preemptively adjusts finishing tool height when turn conditions are detected, eliminating the delay inherent in manual operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses sensor feedback from the main frame height sensors to automatically control finishing tool height. The controller receives continuous feedback on main frame position and automatically adjusts finishing tool height accordingly, creating a closed-loop control system that responds instantly without manual intervention delay.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the finishing tool height is increased during turns, then contact with soil and obstructions is avoided, but the down pressure consistency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts finishing tool height based on real-time main frame position data. During turns, the controller increases finishing tool height to avoid contact, while during straight running, it maintains optimal height for consistent down pressure. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction between avoiding contact and maintaining pressure consistency.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller changes the height parameter of the finishing tool based on operational conditions detected from main frame position. By modifying this critical parameter in response to turn detection, the system avoids soil contact during turns while maintaining consistent down pressure during normal operation, thus resolving the contradiction.
3Measurement precision
If multiple sensors are used to monitor both main frame and finishing tool height, then position control precision is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor system is segmented into two distinct sensor assemblies: one mounted on the main frame to monitor main frame height, and another mounted on the finishing tool assembly to monitor finishing tool height. This segmentation allows independent measurement of each component's position, improving overall control precision while keeping each sensor assembly relatively simple.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller acts as an intermediary that receives data from both sensor assemblies and processes the information to determine when height adjustment is needed. By using the controller as a mediator to integrate sensor data and make control decisions, the system achieves precise coordination between main frame and finishing tool position without requiring complex direct mechanical linkages.
Data Source
AI summary
A finishing tool control system for an agricultural implement may include a controller communicatively coupled to a first and a second sensor. The controller is configured to control a height of a finishing tool above a soil surface. Further, the first sensor is configured to output a signal indicative of a height of a main frame of the agricultural implement above the soil surface. In response to determining that a height increase of the main frame exceeds a threshold height adjustment, the controller increases the height of the finishing tool. The second sensor is configured to output a signal indicative of the height of the finishing tool of the finishing assembly above the soil surface. Moreover, in response to determining that a height of the finishing assembly above the soil surface is less than a threshold value, the controller increases the height of the finishing tool.