Vehicle Implement Oscillation Damping Through Speed and Steering Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern mobile machinery, particularly agricultural sprayers, experience structural oscillations due to high winds, vibrations, and terrain variations, leading to fatigue and potential load failure, which existing solutions attempt to mitigate through heavier materials, increasing costs and energy consumption.
Innovation Solution
Sensors mounted on the machinery capture data on oscillations, which is analyzed to detect symmetric and asymmetric oscillations, and corresponding frequencies and phases. Damping signals are generated and combined with existing control signals to modify the vehicle's speed and steering, reducing oscillations effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If heavier materials are used to mitigate oscillations, then structural strength and stability are improved, but manufacturing cost and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces passive mechanical reinforcement (heavier materials) with an active control system using sensors and actuators. The system detects oscillations and applies counteracting forces through hydraulic or electric actuators, substituting mechanical mass with intelligent control to reduce oscillations while maintaining energy efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback control system where sensors continuously monitor oscillations and feed this information to a controller that adjusts actuator output in real-time. This closed-loop feedback mechanism enables dynamic mitigation of oscillations without requiring increased structural mass, thereby reducing energy consumption compared to static reinforcement approaches.
2Strength
If heavier materials are used to mitigate oscillations, then structural strength and stability are improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive heavy-duty structural materials with a lighter structure equipped with sensors and actuators. The active control system provides the necessary oscillation mitigation function that would otherwise require substantial mass, thereby reducing material costs and manufacturing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the approach from modifying structural parameters (mass, material strength) to modifying control parameters (sensor sensitivity, actuator force, control algorithm gains). This parameter shift allows achieving the same oscillation mitigation effect with lighter, less expensive materials while maintaining manufacturing ease.
3Stability of the object's composition
If active oscillation control systems are added, then oscillation damping is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates oscillation control functionality into existing vehicle systems by utilizing available sensors (accelerometers, gyroscopes) and existing actuator infrastructure (steering, throttle, suspension). This multi-functional approach allows the control system to perform both primary vehicle functions and oscillation damping without requiring entirely separate dedicated systems, thereby limiting complexity growth.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the oscillation control system with the vehicle's existing control architecture by combining sensor data processing, control algorithm execution, and actuator control into an integrated system. This consolidation reduces the number of separate components and interfaces compared to a fully independent oscillation control system, managing complexity while achieving effective damping.
Data Source
AI summary
Described herein are systems, methods, and other techniques for damping oscillations of an implement of a vehicle while the vehicle is moving. Sensor data is captured using one or more sensors that are attached to the vehicle. The sensor data is analyzed to extract one or both of symmetric oscillation information or asymmetric oscillation information. One or both of a speed damping signal or a steering damping signal are generated based on analyzing the sensor data. The speed damping signal is generated in response to extracting the symmetric oscillation information and the steering damping signal is generated in response to extracting the asymmetric oscillation information. A movement of the vehicle is modified using one or both of the speed damping signal or the steering damping signal.