Sprayer Stop Reservation Control for Safe Field Access

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

In existing automatic traveling systems for work vehicles, issuing a travel stop instruction while the vehicle is performing spraying work can lead to inefficiencies as the operator must enter the sprayed area to reach the stopped vehicle, exposing themselves to the spray material and requiring countermeasures to avoid exposure.

Innovation Solution

Implementing an automatic traveling method that allows the work vehicle to temporarily stop and resume travel based on conditions, enabling the vehicle to stop in a safe location outside the sprayed area, thereby minimizing operator exposure and maintaining work efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of time

If the work vehicle stops immediately at the current position when a travel stop instruction is issued during spraying work, then the operator can quickly reach the vehicle, but the operator must enter the sprayed area which exposes them to spray material and requires countermeasures

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetime for operator to reach vehicleVSAvoidoperator exposure to spray material
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary action by continuing to travel to a predetermined stop position after receiving a stop instruction, rather than stopping immediately. This preliminary continuation of travel allows the vehicle to reach a safe location outside the sprayed area before stopping, eliminating operator exposure risk while maintaining relatively quick response time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The predetermined stop position acts as an intermediary location between the current sprayed area and the operator's safe position. The vehicle travels to this intermediate position which serves as a transition point, allowing the operator to approach from a safe distance without entering the hazardous sprayed zone.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the work vehicle continues traveling after a stop instruction to reach a safe position, then operator exposure is minimized, but work efficiency may be reduced due to extended stopping time

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperator exposure to spray materialVSAvoidwork efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system pre-determines stop positions along the target route before operation begins. When a stop instruction is received, the vehicle simply continues to the next predetermined position rather than making unplanned stops or deviations, which minimizes the additional time required while ensuring operator safety.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts the stopping behavior based on the received instruction type. For normal stop instructions, the vehicle continues to a predetermined position; for emergency stops, the vehicle stops immediately. This dynamic response optimizes the balance between safety and efficiency based on operational conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP4428648A1Automatic traveling method, automatic traveling system and work vehicle supporting the system
Publication Date: 2024.09.11 YANMAR HLDG CO LTD
  • EP4428648A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4428648A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4428648A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An automatic traveling method includes: causing a sprayer to travel automatically along a target route in a field; executing temporary stop processing; and executing stop reservation processing. The temporary stop processing is processing to stop the sprayer at a current position in a mode in which travel of the sprayer can be resumed in the case where a temporary stop condition is satisfied during automatic travel of the sprayer. The stop reservation processing is processing to cause the sprayer to travel and thereafter stop the sprayer in a state where the travel of the sprayer can be resumed in the case where a stop reservation condition is satisfied during the automatic travel of the sprayer.