Hydraulic Valve Coupling Detection for Accurate SCV Assignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing agricultural machines face challenges in accurately identifying and assigning hydraulic control valves to the correct subsystems of implements, leading to potential errors and inefficiencies in operation.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for automatically detecting and assigning selective control valves (SCVs) using sensors to capture information from identifiers on conduits, processing this information to identify the correct SCV-subsystem connections, and displaying the assignments on a user interface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual identification and assignment of control valves to subsystems is used, then device complexity is reduced, but operator errors increase and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical identification processes with an automated sensor-based detection system. Sensors capture information from identifiers on conduits, and a processor automatically matches conduits to control valves, eliminating manual error-prone operations while maintaining system reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses identifiers (such as tags or codes) that represent the physical conduits. These identifiers are captured by sensors and processed to create a digital representation of the physical connections, enabling automatic assignment without direct manual intervention.
2Productivity
If automated sensor-based detection system is implemented, then productivity increases and errors reduce, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Manual connection identification and assignment processes are replaced with an automated system using sensors to capture identifier information and a processor to perform matching. This substitution dramatically increases connection speed and reduces errors, justifying the increased system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service automation where the sensor detection and processor matching operations occur automatically without requiring operator intervention. The system serves itself by capturing, processing, and assigning connections autonomously, improving productivity despite added complexity.
3Productivity
If manual assignment process is used, then device complexity is lower, but loss of time increases and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces time-consuming manual assignment processes with automated sensor detection and processor-based matching. This substitution eliminates the time loss associated with manual identification and assignment, significantly improving assignment efficiency and overall productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary detection and identification of conduits and their identifiers before the actual assignment is completed. By capturing information in advance and pre-processing the matching logic, the system reduces the time required for the final assignment operation, thereby improving overall productivity.
Data Source
AI summary
A detection system that can identify fluid connections between a plurality of control valves of, including secured to, an agricultural vehicle and an implement of an agricultural machine. Information captured by a sensor(s) can provide information that identifies one or more identifiers, each identifier being coupled to a different conduit that is used in the exchange of hydraulic fluid between the agricultural vehicle and the implement. The identifier can also correspond to recorded information regarding the particular subsystem or operation of the implement to which the conduit associated with the identified identifier is fluidly coupled. Additionally, information captured by the sensor can be used to detect the particular control valve to which the conduit associated with the identified identifier is coupled. Such information can be used in the identification, or assignment, of the particular control valve that is fluidly coupled to a particular subsystem or operation of the implement.