Tractor Control System Optimizing Tire Pressure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Excessive weight and inappropriate tire pressures significantly impact tractor performance, affecting pull force and efficiency, with existing systems failing to effectively mitigate these issues.
Innovation Solution
A control and display system for tractors that includes sensors to measure pull force and wheel load, a processing unit to calculate real-time ratios, and a system to adjust tire pressures and weight distribution for optimal performance, using look-up tables and characteristic maps to determine the best fit curve for tractive efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If excessive weight is used to increase pull force capacity, then the tractor can handle heavier loads, but tractive efficiency decreases and fuel consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts tire pressure based on real-time operating conditions (pull force, ground speed, wheel load) rather than using fixed weight or pressure settings. This allows the tractor to optimize its performance characteristics continuously, maintaining high tractive efficiency across varying load conditions without requiring excessive baseline weight.
2Force
If excessive weight is added to the tractor, then pull force capacity increases, but tractive efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the physical parameter of tire pressure dynamically based on operating conditions. By adjusting pressure in response to measured pull force and wheel load, the system optimizes the contact patch and soil interaction to maintain high tractive efficiency without adding excessive weight, thereby resolving the contradiction between force capacity and productivity.
3Ease of operation
If inappropriate tire pressures are used, then the tractor can operate with simpler pressure management, but performance and fuel efficiency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-service by automatically measuring operating parameters (pull force via strain gauges, wheel load via load cells, ground speed via radar/GPS) and autonomously determining optimal tire pressure settings. This eliminates the need for operator knowledge or manual pressure adjustment while maintaining peak fuel efficiency, resolving the contradiction between operational simplicity and productivity.
4Productivity
If real-time measurement and adjustment systems are implemented, then tractor performance is optimized, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses multi-functional sensors that serve multiple purposes: strain gauges on hitch pins measure both pull force and implement load, load cells on axles measure wheel load and total vehicle weight, and radar/GPS provide both speed and position data. This universal approach reduces the number of dedicated sensors needed while achieving comprehensive performance optimization, thereby mitigating the increase in device complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention concerns a control system for a tractor (10) fitted with two or more axles (21,22) which carry wheels (13,14) having pneumatic tyres and which is set up to pull an implement or trailer. The system having a display means (28) for displaying to a tractor operator tractor (10) performance parameters and has sensors to determine the current pull force applied to the implement or trailer, the current wheel load and the current tractor ground speed. The system also has a control unit which determines and advises the tractor operator via the display means (28) as to the optimum weight of the tractor using a predetermined relationship between pull force and tractor weight and also the required load on each axle to achieve a predetermined optimum axle load ratio.