Work Vehicle Lift-Deceleration Control for Steering During Turns

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing work vehicles require complex steering operations and speed adjustments when raising and lowering work devices, such as rotary cultivators, which can disrupt the workflow and complicate turning maneuvers.

Innovation Solution

A work vehicle with a control unit that integrates lift and deceleration controls to raise and lower work devices while reducing travel speed, allowing for accurate steering operations without interrupting the workflow.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the work device is raised to the set height by moving the lift operation section, then the work device can be positioned for turning operations, but the travel speed remains unchanged requiring separate speed reduction operations that interrupt steering

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesteering operationVSAvoidoperation sequence
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the lift operation and speed reduction operation into a single integrated control action. When the lift operation section is moved to the ascent position, the control unit simultaneously activates both the lift device to raise the work device and the deceleration control to reduce travel speed, eliminating the need for separate operations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The control unit performs speed reduction in advance when the lift operation section is moved to the ascent position, before the actual turning maneuver begins. This preliminary speed reduction ensures the vehicle is already at the appropriate speed for accurate steering when the turning operation starts

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Measurement precision

If speed reduction is achieved by moving the shift lever, then the travel speed can be reduced for accurate steering, but the workflow is interrupted and the operation becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesteering accuracyVSAvoidworkflow interruption
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs speed reduction automatically through the control unit when the lift operation section is moved to the ascent position, without requiring the operator to manually operate the shift lever. The system serves itself by integrating the speed control function into the existing lift operation control flow

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent merges the speed reduction function with the lift operation function, so that a single operation (moving the lift operation section) achieves both raising the work device and reducing travel speed, eliminating workflow interruption

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Productivity

If the vehicle travels at normal speed while turning with the work device raised, then productivity is maintained, but steering accuracy deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetravel speedVSAvoidsteering accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent dynamically adjusts the travel speed based on the operational phase. During turning operations with the work device raised, the speed is automatically reduced to enable accurate steering. After the turning operation is completed and the work device is lowered, the speed is restored to normal levels to maintain productivity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP4691217A1Work vehicle
Publication Date: 2026.02.11 KUBOTA CORP
  • EP4691217A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4691217A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4691217A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The work vehicle includes: a vehicle body; a travel device; a transmission T; a shift operation section 13 configured to set a travel speed of the vehicle body; a lift device configured to support the work device and to raise and lower it; a lift operation section 16 operable to an ascent position Lu according to which the work device is raised to a set height, and to a descent position Ld according to which the work device at the set height is lowered to a work height; and a control unit 50 configured to control operations of the transmission T and the lift device. The control unit 50 performs deceleration control on the transmission T in such a manner as to raise the work device to the set height and reduce the travel speed of the vehicle body in response to the lift operation section 16 being operated to the ascent position Lu while the vehicle body travels forward.