Radio-Controlled Vehicle Cab Visibility and Remote Operation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vehicles with boom mowers restrict the operator's visibility and safety, as they require constant backward-facing to monitor operations, limiting their ability to work on steep slopes and off-road terrain, and necessitate staying on board, which is hazardous and restricts movement.
Innovation Solution
A radio-controlled vehicle with a low center of gravity, a motorized and tracked undercarriage, and a movable cab that can be raised for improved visibility, allowing remote operation and attachment of various tools like mulchers, enabling operation on steep slopes and diverse terrains.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the boom mower is positioned behind the operator, then the operator can monitor operations, but the operator must continually look backwards causing physical pain and limited field of view
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical solution of positioning the boom mower behind the operator with a camera-based visual system. Cameras mounted on the vehicle capture images of the treatment area and display them on screens inside the cab, allowing the operator to monitor operations without physically turning around, thus eliminating the need to assume unnatural positions and providing complete visibility of the treated area.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates visual copies of the treatment area through cameras and displays these copies inside the operator's cab. This allows the operator to view the boom mower's operation and the treated area without directly observing it, solving the contradiction between monitoring operations and maintaining operator comfort and visibility.
2Ease of operation
If the boom mower is positioned in front of the operator, then the operator can have better visibility, but the support arm blocks a large part of the field of view
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses cameras to create visual copies of the treatment area and displays them inside the cab, allowing the operator to see around the support arm without the arm blocking the view. The camera systems are positioned to capture images of the boom mower and treated area, providing complete visibility regardless of the boom mower's physical position on the vehicle.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from direct line-of-sight viewing to indirect viewing through cameras and displays. This dimensional change in the observation path allows the operator to view the treatment area from inside the protected cab without physical obstruction from the support arm or boom mower positioning.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the vehicle drives on the road to reach treatment areas, then accessibility is improved, but traffic is blocked in the lane
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the operational parameters of the vehicle by introducing a radio control system that allows the vehicle to be operated remotely. This enables the vehicle to work on steep slopes and off-road terrain without requiring an operator on board, eliminating the need to block traffic lanes and allowing treatment of areas that would be inaccessible to conventional road-based vehicles.
4Ease of operation
If the operator stays on board the vehicle during operation, then direct control is maintained, but safety is compromised on steep slopes and off-road terrain
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces direct mechanical control by the operator with remote control through radio communication and camera-based visual feedback. The operator controls the vehicle from a safe location using wireless communication systems and camera displays, maintaining full control capability while eliminating exposure to safety hazards on steep slopes and unstable terrain.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces radio control systems and camera displays as intermediaries between the operator and the vehicle. These intermediary systems transmit control signals and visual information, allowing the operator to control the vehicle from a protected location without direct physical presence on the vehicle, thus eliminating safety hazards while maintaining control.
5Adaptability or versatility
If conventional vehicles are used for maintenance work, then road maintenance can be performed, but the vehicle cannot operate on steep slopes or off-road terrain
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the operational parameters by implementing radio control and camera monitoring systems, allowing the vehicle to operate on steep slopes and off-road terrain without an operator on board. This parameter change in the control system enables the vehicle to access difficult terrain while maintaining safety through remote operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal vehicle system that can operate on multiple terrain types (roads, steep slopes, off-road areas) through radio control and camera-based monitoring. The vehicle becomes multi-functional, capable of performing maintenance work in diverse environments that were previously inaccessible to conventional road-based vehicles.
Data Source
AI summary
A radio-controlled vehicle includes a supporting structure, an engine unit, a kinetic unit and a remote control for operating the vehicle remotely, The radio-controlled vehicle also has a cab configured to house, in use, a person. The cab and the supporting structure are mutually movable with respect to each other to selectively arrange the cab in a desired position with respect to the supporting structure.