Tractor-Implement Steering for Orthogonal Swath Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing combinations of towing vehicles and towed devices face issues where the processing element's lateral movement relative to the target line is not accurately maintained, leading to wear and discomfort for the driver and potential contamination of the swath, especially in applications like baling and crop picking.
Innovation Solution
A control device connected to actuators adjusts the angle between the drawbar and the device, and steers the wheels to ensure the processing element remains orthogonally aligned with the desired line, using sensors for real-time feedback and position determination to control the towing vehicle and device actuators.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the towing vehicle is steered by a driver to follow the desired path, then the device can be pulled along the target path, but the driver experiences lateral movements that become tiring and uncomfortable over time
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of steering the towing vehicle to keep the device on the target path, the invention inverts the approach by steering the device itself (via wheel actuators) to maintain orthogonal alignment with the swath, allowing the towing vehicle to follow the driver's preferred path without lateral corrections
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses sensors (optical, acoustic, or electromagnetic) to detect the position of the target line relative to the device, and a control unit continuously adjusts the wheel actuators based on this feedback to maintain orthogonal alignment, creating a closed-loop control system that automatically compensates for position deviations
2Manufacturing precision
If the towing vehicle is automatically steered to guide the device along the swath, then the device follows the desired path, but the wheels of the towing vehicle may drive over the swath and compress and contaminate it
Solution Approach 1:
The invention reverses the traditional control approach by making the device self-steering rather than being passively pulled. The device actively controls its own wheel angles to maintain orthogonal alignment with the swath, allowing the towing vehicle to follow a different, non-contaminating path while the device stays precisely aligned with the target line through its own actuated steering mechanism
3Ease of operation
If the device is positively steered relative to the towing vehicle, then the processing element remains aligned with the swath, but processing elements may not be orthogonal to the swath in certain operating situations, leading to deformation and wear
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit receives continuous feedback from sensors about the actual position and orientation of the processing element relative to the target line, and dynamically adjusts the wheel actuators to maintain orthogonal alignment, compensating for variations in operating conditions such as different towing speeds, ground slopes, or device loads
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs dynamic, actively controlled wheel steering rather than fixed geometric alignment. The wheel actuators can continuously adjust the device's orientation in response to real-time conditions, ensuring the processing element remains orthogonal to the swath despite changes in operating parameters, thereby preventing deformation and reducing wear
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a combination of a tractor (10) and a device (12) drawn by the tractor (10) by means of a drawing bar (14), supported on the ground by wheels (34), said device comprising a processing element (36) interacting with a field. A controller (52) is connected to a first actuator (54) disposed for adjusting the angle between the drawing bar (14) and the device (12), and to a second actuator (58) disposed for adjusting the angle of the wheels (34) of the device (12) about the vertical axis. The controller (52) can be operated for actuating the two actuators (54, 58) in such a manner that the longitudinal axis of the processing element (36) is always oriented at least nearly orthogonal to a target line (66).