Ski Groomer Contour Tracking via Sensor Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing snow groomers struggle to effectively maintain contoured slopes with crests and hollows, often unintentionally removing crests, filling troughs, or altering gradient transitions due to inadequate control over the grooming device's position and inclination.
Innovation Solution
A detection unit connected to a control unit that monitors and adjusts the snow groomer's position and inclination relative to the vehicle support frame, using sensors to track the longitudinal and transverse contours of the slope, ensuring precise control and regulation of the grooming device to follow the slope's contours.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the snow groomer operates without contour-following control, then the operation is simple and requires minimal operator expertise, but the grooming device unintentionally removes crests, fills troughs, or alters gradient transitions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback control system where sensors detect the longitudinal contour of the piste and the position/inclination of the snow groomer, and the control unit adjusts the actuating unit based on this feedback to maintain proper contact with the contour. This resolves the contradiction by providing reliable contour-following control while managing system complexity through automated closed-loop control.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service operation where the snow groomer automatically adapts to the slope contour without requiring operator intervention. The detection unit continuously monitors the contour and the control unit autonomously adjusts the grooming device position, eliminating the need for skilled operator expertise while maintaining high grooming quality.
2Productivity
If the snow groomer reaches too deep into the piste to ensure adequate grooming, then the grooming effectiveness is improved, but the crests and troughs are unintentionally altered
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic adjustment of the snow groomer's position and inclination based on real-time detection of the longitudinal contour. The control unit continuously modifies the actuating unit to maintain optimal contact with the contour, allowing the system to adapt its grooming depth dynamically rather than maintaining a fixed aggressive contact, thus preserving contour accuracy while ensuring effective grooming.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameters (position and inclination) of the snow groomer based on the detected contour characteristics. By adjusting these parameters in response to the longitudinal profile, the system achieves adequate grooming effectiveness without permanently altering crests and troughs, resolving the contradiction between productivity and precision.
3Manufacturing precision
If the snow groomer is lifted off the piste to avoid altering the contour, then the contour integrity is preserved, but the grooming effectiveness is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the snow groomer's contact with the piste based on real-time contour detection. Rather than maintaining a fixed lifted or aggressive contact, the control unit continuously modulates the position and inclination to maintain optimal contact only where needed, preserving contour integrity while ensuring sufficient grooming effectiveness through adaptive contact management.
Data Source
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AI summary
2.1 Such a ski slope maintenance vehicle, comprising a vehicle frame, a rear implement carrier, a ski slope maintenance implement, at least one actuator, and a control unit, is known. 2.2 According to the invention, a detection unit connected to the control unit, which is configured for the direct and/or indirect detection of several parameters during a movement of the ski slope maintenance vehicle along a path, and a determination unit connected to the control unit and the detection unit are provided, which is configured for determining a target position and/or a target inclination of the ski slope maintenance implement, following the longitudinal contour, depending on the detected parameters, wherein the control unit is configured for controlling the actuator depending on the determined target position and/or the target inclination. 2.3 Use for ski slope maintenance vehicles for processing snow slopes