Power Equipment Tilt Control via Angle Rate Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing power equipment, such as lawn mowers, cannot distinguish between intentional tilting for maintenance and tilting due to ground slope during operation, leading to inadequate prohibition of driving the work unit.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a tilt angle detection system that uses an acceleration sensor to detect the tilt angle and its change rate, along with a control unit that prohibits driving when the tilt angle exceeds a predetermined value and has a significant change rate, while filtering out dynamic components and adjusting filtering based on operator input.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a simple tilt angle detection system is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the ability to distinguish between intentional tilting and ground slope tilting deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by not only detecting the static tilt angle but also monitoring the rate of change of the tilt angle. This dynamic approach allows the system to distinguish between gradual tilting due to ground slope (small change rate) and sudden tilting due to toppling or intentional maintenance positioning (large change rate), thereby resolving the contradiction between simple device complexity and accurate tilt state discrimination.
2Reliability
If prohibition control is activated at any tilt angle, then safety is improved, but operational flexibility on sloping ground deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback control by continuously monitoring both the tilt angle and its rate of change, then using this information to intelligently activate or deactivate prohibition control. The control unit compares the detected tilt state against predetermined thresholds and adjusts the prohibition control accordingly, allowing operation on sloping ground when safe while preventing operation when the equipment is improperly positioned or toppled, thus resolving the contradiction between safety and operational flexibility.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Effectively determines when to prohibit driving, preventing accidental operation when the equipment is tilted excessively, while allowing operation on sloping ground, thus enhancing safety and operational reliability.
Implementation Method 1
a tilt angle detection means that detects a tilt angle of the main body; the tilt angle detection means is an acceleration sensor that outputs a signal corresponding to an acceleration
Implementation Method 2
the control unit performs low-pass filtering process on the signal from the acceleration sensor to remove at least a portion of the signal corresponding to a dynamic component of the acceleration
Data Source
AI summary
To properly determine a state in which driving of the work unit should be prohibited in power equipment, the power equipment (1) includes: a main body (2); a work unit provided on the main body; a work motor (8) that drives the work unit; a tilt angle detector (41) that detects a tilt angle of the main body; and a control unit (10) that drive-controls the work motor, wherein the control unit performs prohibition control to prohibit driving of the work motor when the tilt angle becomes greater than or equal to a predetermined tilt angle determination value and a change rate of the tilt angle becomes greater than or equal to a predetermined change rate determination value.