Working Vehicle Rearward Auto Steering Based on PTO State

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing working vehicles face challenges in stabilizing automatic steering during rearward travel, especially when the power take-off (PTO) shaft is rotating at high speed, which can pose safety risks for the operator.

Innovation Solution

The working vehicle is equipped with a controller that allows automatic steering during rearward travel only when the PTO shaft is in a stopped state, and prohibits automatic steering when the PTO shaft is in a driven state, ensuring safety and stability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If automatic steering is allowed during rearward travel when the PTO shaft is rotating at high speed, then productivity is improved, but safety deteriorates and the operator may be put in danger

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveautomatic steering operationVSAvoidoperator safety

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The controller proactively prevents automatic steering from operating during rearward travel when the PTO shaft is rotating, before any dangerous situation can occur. This preliminary protective action blocks the potentially harmful combination of rearward travel and PTO rotation, eliminating the safety risk before it materializes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Solution Approach 2:

The controller acts as an intermediary between the automatic steering system and the PTO shaft operation. It monitors the operational state of both systems and mediates their interaction by allowing automatic steering only when the PTO shaft is not rotating during rearward travel, thus preventing direct conflict between these two functions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If automatic steering is allowed during rearward travel when the PTO shaft is rotating, then operational efficiency is improved, but stability deteriorates making it difficult to perform automatic steering stably

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveautomatic steering operationVSAvoidautomatic steering stability

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The controller proactively prevents automatic steering from operating during rearward travel when the PTO shaft is rotating, before any dangerous situation can occur. This preliminary protective action blocks the potentially harmful combination of rearward travel and PTO rotation, eliminating the safety risk before it materializes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Solution Approach 2:

The controller acts as an intermediary between the automatic steering system and the PTO shaft operation. It monitors the operational state of both systems and mediates their interaction by allowing automatic steering only when the PTO shaft is not rotating during rearward travel, thus preventing direct conflict between these two functions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS12302772B2Working vehicle

Publication Date: 2025.05.20 KUBOTA CORP

AI summary

To stably and safely perform automatic steering during rearward travel of a working vehicle, the working vehicle includes a vehicle body to be manually steered with a steering wheel or automatically steered to travel forward or rearward, a prime mover on the vehicle body, a working implement supported on the vehicle body, a power take-off (PTO) shaft to transmit power from the prime mover to the working implement, and a controller to control automatic steering of the vehicle body and driving of the PTO shaft. The controller is configured or programmed to allow the automatic steering during rearward travel of the vehicle body when the PTO shaft is in a stopped state, and prohibit the automatic steering during rearward travel of the vehicle body when the PTO shaft is in a driven state.