Ground Tool Position Verification for Headland Turn Control

Solution Overview

Problem

Agricultural systems face challenges in ensuring that ground engaging tools are properly disengaged from the soil during transport and headland turns, which can lead to increased wear and tear on these tools and potentially cause unintended movement, reducing efficiency and safety.

Innovation Solution

A condition verification system that includes sensors and a controller to determine the position of ground engaging tools relative to the soil, preventing initiation or continuation of control actions like speed and steering if the tools are engaged, thereby ensuring they are disengaged before such operations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Duration of action of stationary object

If ground engaging tools are manually or automatedally raised prior to operations, then tool longevity is improved and draft load is reduced, but the system complexity increases due to additional control systems

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetool longevityVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Duration of action of stationary objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary raising of ground engaging tools before operations such as headland turns, transport, or shuttle shifts. The controller automatically raises the tools based on detected conditions (e.g., approach to headland, transport mode activation), preventing tool engagement with soil during inappropriate operations and thereby extending tool longevity without requiring constant manual intervention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses sensors to detect the position of ground engaging tools relative to the soil and provides feedback to the controller. The controller monitors this feedback continuously and automatically adjusts the tool position (raising or lowering) based on operational context, creating a closed-loop control system that manages tool engagement intelligently to reduce draft load while maintaining simplicity through automation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Force

If ground engaging tools are raised automatically, then draft load on towing vehicle is reduced, but the risk of inadvertent engagement during operations increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedraft loadVSAvoidengagement control reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

ForceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system continuously monitors the position of ground engaging tools relative to the soil through sensors and provides real-time feedback to the controller. The controller uses this feedback to determine whether tools are engaged with the soil and automatically adjusts their position accordingly, ensuring reliable control of engagement state while maintaining low draft load during transport operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary raising of ground engaging tools before operations such as headland turns, transport, or shuttle shifts. The controller automatically raises the tools based on detected conditions (e.g., approach to headland, transport mode activation), preventing tool engagement with soil during inappropriate operations and thereby extending tool longevity without requiring constant manual intervention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Device complexity

If manual raising of ground engaging tools is used, then system complexity is minimized, but operational efficiency decreases due to manual intervention requirements

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem complexityVSAvoidoperational efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables self-service operation where the controller automatically manages the raising and lowering of ground engaging tools based on operational conditions. Sensors detect tool position and operational state, and the controller autonomously adjusts tool position without requiring manual operator intervention, thereby improving operational efficiency while keeping the control system relatively simple through automated decision-making.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary raising of ground engaging tools before operations such as headland turns, transport, or shuttle shifts. The controller automatically raises the tools based on detected conditions (e.g., approach to headland, transport mode activation), preventing tool engagement with soil during inappropriate operations and thereby extending tool longevity without requiring constant manual intervention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS20230320251A1Condition verification system for an agricultural system

Publication Date: 2023.10.12 CNH INDUSTRIAL AMERICA LLC

AI summary

A condition verification system for an agricultural system includes a sensor configured to output a sensor signal indicative of a position of a ground engaging tool of the agricultural system relative to soil. The condition verification system also includes a controller having a memory and a processor, in which the controller is communicatively coupled to the sensor. The controller is configured to receive the sensor signal from the sensor, determine whether the ground engaging tool is engaged with the soil based on the position of the ground engaging tool, and terminate or block initiation of at least one control action of a speed control system of the agricultural system and/or a steering control system of the agricultural system in response to determining the ground engaging tool is engaged with the soil.