Motor Grader Blade Soil Monitoring via Front Camera
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Operators of motor graders face challenges in adjusting the blade angle to optimize soil buildup on the blade's front surface, leading to excessive soil accumulation and potential engine stalling or ground cutting, particularly for unskilled operators.
Innovation Solution
A work vehicle equipped with a blade and an image pick-up apparatus positioned in front of the blade, allowing for real-time imaging of the blade's front surface, enabling operators to visually assess and adjust the soil amount and blade angle for optimal land-grading operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the blade angle of inclination is increased to build up more soil on the front surface, then the amount of soil built up increases, but the load on the blade becomes excessive causing rear wheels to idle or engine to stall
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies feedback by equipping the motor grader with an image pickup apparatus (camera) that captures images of the blade's front surface and displays them on a monitor. This provides real-time visual feedback to the operator about the amount of soil built up on the blade, enabling the operator to adjust the blade angle to an optimal level that maximizes soil buildup while preventing excessive load that would cause engine stalling or wheel idling. The feedback loop allows continuous monitoring and adjustment to maintain reliable operation.
2Ease of operation
If the blade angle is adjusted without visual feedback, then the operation is simpler, but the precision of soil amount control deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses copying by creating a visual copy (image) of the blade's front surface through the image pickup apparatus and displaying it on a monitor. This allows the operator to view a replicated image of the soil buildup on the blade without needing to physically approach or touch the blade, maintaining ease of operation from the cab while achieving precise assessment of soil amount. The visual copy enables accurate measurement of soil buildup conditions that would otherwise be difficult to judge.
3Productivity
If an unskilled operator adjusts the blade angle without guidance, then the operation process remains the same, but the likelihood of excessive soil buildup and engine stalling increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback by providing real-time visual information through the image pickup apparatus and monitor display, enabling unskilled operators to see exactly how much soil has built up on the blade. This visual feedback guides the operator in making appropriate blade angle adjustments, preventing excessive soil buildup that would lead to engine stalling or wheel idling. The system transforms an operation requiring skill and experience into one that can be performed reliably by any operator through visual guidance.
Data Source
AI summary
A work vehicle is capable of readily knowing an amount of soil built up on a front surface of a blade. A motor grader includes a vehicular body frame, a blade, and an image pick-up apparatus. The blade is arranged between a front end of the vehicular body frame and a rear end of the vehicular body frame. The blade is supported on the vehicular body frame. The image pick-up apparatus is arranged in front of the blade. At least a part of the blade is included within an angle of view of the image pick-up apparatus. A revolving operation of the blade is automatically controlled based on the amount of soil built up on the front surface of the blade.