Soil Compactor Reverse Steering Using Recorded Path Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing soil cultivation machines require operators to manually steer and adjust direction changes, leading to inefficiencies and reduced precision when reversing, especially in operations like asphalt compaction.
Innovation Solution
A self-propelled soil compactor with a steering system that records path information during forward travel and uses it to automate steering during reverse travel, incorporating position detection and control arrangements to maintain precision and reduce operator workload.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the operator manually steers the soil tillage machine during reverse movement, then the operator can observe the soil to be worked, but the steering precision and operational efficiency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The control arrangement records path information during forward movement before reverse movement occurs. This preliminary recording of the forward path enables the system to automatically replicate the path during reverse movement without requiring manual steering input from the operator, thus maintaining high steering precision while reducing operator workload.
Solution Approach 2:
The system copies the path information recorded during forward movement and uses it to control the steering actuators during reverse movement. This copying mechanism allows the machine to automatically follow the same path in reverse, achieving precise steering control without requiring the operator to manually steer, thereby resolving the contradiction between steering precision and operator workload.
2Productivity
If the operator manually steers during both forward and reverse movements, then full control is maintained, but operational efficiency and productivity deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The control arrangement records path information during forward movement in advance, so that during reverse movement the system can automatically execute the recorded path without requiring continuous manual steering input. This preliminary recording action enables automated reverse steering, significantly improving operational efficiency while the control system manages the complexity internally.
Solution Approach 2:
The control arrangement serves itself by using the recorded path information to automatically control the steering actuators during reverse movement. The system performs the steering control function autonomously based on previously recorded data, eliminating the need for continuous manual intervention and thereby improving productivity without proportionally increasing operational complexity.
3Manufacturing precision
If the soil tillage machine follows the exact same path in reverse, then steering precision is maintained, but compaction uniformity deteriorates due to lane repetition
Solution Approach 1:
The control arrangement introduces an asymmetric offset to the recorded path information when controlling reverse movement. Instead of perfectly replicating the forward path, the system deliberately shifts the reverse path by a predetermined offset distance, ensuring that the machine does not follow the exact same tracks. This asymmetric path planning maintains adequate steering precision while preventing lane repetition, thereby ensuring uniform compaction quality.
Data Source
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AI summary
A self-propelled soil tillage machine, in particular a soil compactor, comprises a steering system (27) with a steering element (26) to be actuated by an operator and at least one steering actuator (30), as well as a control arrangement (28) for controlling at least one steering actuator (30) based on an actuation of the steering element (26). The control arrangement (28) is designed to generate path information representing a path (W) traveled during the movement of the soil tillage machine (10) in the first direction of movement (R1), when the soil tillage machine (10) moves in a first direction of movement (R1), and to control the at least one steering actuator (30) based on the path information when the soil tillage machine (10) moves in a second direction of movement (R2) substantially opposite to the first direction of movement (R1).