Agricultural Vehicle Control Panel Locking Status Display
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users of agricultural vehicles cannot determine from the vehicle control element alone whether it has been locked, requiring a separate terminal display for confirmation.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle control device with a terminal display separate from the control elements, indicating whether each vehicle control element's functionality can be altered, using color changes and symbols to show locking status, allowing drivers to easily verify and manage locking states.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If a terminal display is used to indicate locking status, then information accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The display system is segmented into two parts: a terminal display for detailed locking status information and associated vehicle control display elements for quick visual confirmation. This segmentation allows comprehensive information display while keeping individual components simple.
Solution Approach 2:
The vehicle control display elements act as intermediaries between the terminal display and the driver. They provide a simplified visual indicator (color change) that mediates the information flow, allowing drivers to quickly understand locking status without needing to interpret complex terminal display data.
2Ease of operation
If color changes are used on control display elements, then ease of operation is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies color changes to vehicle control display elements to indicate locking status. When a control element is locked, its associated display element changes color (e.g., to red) to provide immediate visual feedback. This simple visual mechanism significantly improves ease of operation without requiring complex mechanical or electronic modifications to the control elements themselves.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
A vehicle control device is disclosed incorporating a plurality of vehicle control elements, at least one control apparatus to alter a functionality of the vehicle control elements, each of the vehicle control elements adapted in use to control a valve in a hydraulic line, in which each vehicle control element incorporates a vehicle control display element, the vehicle control display element indicating whether the functionality of the vehicle control element may be altered. This allows a driver when looking at the vehicle control element easily to see from the vehicle control display element whether the functionality of the vehicle control element may be changed.