Sensor Mounting System for Road Milling Machine Edge Accuracy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sensor mounting systems for road milling machines often provide inaccurate milling depth measurements, especially when milling edges, due to the proximity of side plates to the rotational axis and potential contact with unpaved surfaces like grass or soil, leading to inaccuracies in calculated milling depth.
Innovation Solution
A sensor mounting system featuring a unitary ski member with a ground engaging surface positioned inboard relative to the side plates, which includes a pivot movement compensation curve, allowing for accurate milling depth determination by a controller using position sensors attached to the ski member and a pivotable attachment flange, ensuring consistent measurement across different ground engaging positions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If position sensors are positioned near the side plates to measure vertical movement, then the sensors can capture milling depth and inclination data, but the measurements become inaccurate when side plates contact unpaved surfaces like grass or soil
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the sensor mounting location from the side plate area and relocates it to the inboard region near the rotor axis. This separation removes the sensor system from the harmful influence of side plates contacting unpaved surfaces, allowing accurate measurements to be taken from a location that remains stable regardless of side plate position
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanical linkage system (including arms and linkages) that connects the inboard sensor location to the side plate movement. This intermediary mechanism translates the vertical movement of the side plates into measurable sensor readings without requiring the sensors to be physically positioned near the side plates, thereby maintaining measurement accuracy while avoiding the reliability issue
2Device complexity
If side plates are positioned close to the rotor axis to define outer walls, then the machine structure is compact, but the proximity causes measurement inaccuracies when milling edges
Solution Approach 1:
The patent moves the sensor measurement function from the lateral dimension (near side plates) to the longitudinal dimension (inboard near rotor axis). By measuring vertical movement from a point along the longitudinal axis rather than from the lateral side plates, the system maintains the compact side plate structure while achieving accurate measurements through a different spatial dimension
Data Source
AI summary
A road milling machine includes a sensor mounting system having a first mounting member, which is attached to a first machine component and supports a portion of a position sensor, and a second mounting member attached to a second machine component having a pivotable attachment to a machine frame. An extension member has a first end attached to the second mounting member and a second end including an attachment flange. A unitary ski member has a first end attached to another portion of the position sensor and a second end pivotably attached to the attachment flange. The unitary ski member includes a ground engaging surface that is positioned inboard relative to first and second side plates, which flank a rotor, and has a pivot movement compensation curve. A controller is configured for determining a milling depth of the rotor from measurements obtained by the position sensor.