Autonomous Tractor Stall Detection and Fifth-Wheel Trailer Lift
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Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous electric tractors in yards face challenges with drive motor stalls and inconsistent trailer landing gear height, leading to safety issues and inefficient operations, as existing safety features deactivate the tractor upon motor stall and fail to adjust the landing gear height accurately.
Innovation Solution
Implementing methods to detect drive motor stalls and prevent deactivation by applying brakes and inhibiting throttle, and using hydraulic systems to sense and adjust the fifth wheel's height to ensure the landing gear clears obstacles without unnecessary elevation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the safety feature deactivates the autonomous electric tractor when the drive motor stalls for more than a preset period, then safety is improved, but operational continuity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the parameter being monitored from simple motor stall detection to a composite parameter that includes fifth wheel position and trailer lift status. By monitoring whether the fifth wheel is in the process of lifting the trailer, the system can distinguish between stalls that occur during normal lifting operations (which should not trigger deactivation) and stalls that indicate actual safety problems. This parameter change allows the safety feature to maintain operational continuity while preserving safety.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the autonomous tractor raises the fifth wheel to elevate the front end of the trailer and lift the landing gear off the ground, then obstacle clearance is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses feedback from sensors to detect when the landing gear has successfully cleared obstacles or reached the ground, and automatically adjusts the fifth wheel height accordingly. Rather than maintaining a constantly elevated position that would guarantee obstacle clearance but consume excessive energy, the system raises the fifth wheel only when needed (when obstacles are detected or during coupling operations) and lowers it when not needed. This feedback-based control optimizes the balance between obstacle clearance capability and energy consumption.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Prevents unnecessary deactivation of autonomous electric tractors during motor stalls and ensures safe and efficient trailer movement by maintaining optimal landing gear height, enhancing safety and operational efficiency in automated yards.
Implementation Method 1
controlling a hydraulic pump to pump a hydraulic fluid into a chamber of a piston coupled to a fifth wheel of the tractor to raise the fifth wheel
Implementation Method 2
sensing, at intervals as the fifth wheel rises, a pressure value of the hydraulic fluid in the chamber
Data Source
AI summary
A method detects and prevents stall of a drive motor of an autonomous electric tractor. A stall detector receives, at intervals, a motor current value from a drive circuit of the autonomous electric tractor, determines when the motor current value reaches or exceeds a first current threshold and applies brakes, inhibits a throttle controlling the drive motor, and sets a motor stall flag. A method determines a height above the ground of a landing gear of a trailer coupled with a tractor. A lift detector controls a hydraulic pump to pump a hydraulic fluid into a chamber of a piston coupled to a fifth wheel of the tractor to raise the fifth wheel. The lift detector senses, at intervals as the fifth wheel rises, a pressure value of the hydraulic fluid in the chamber and processes the pressure value to determine when the landing gear is lifted off the ground.