Agricultural Vehicle Steering Coordination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing automatic steering systems for self-propelled vehicles and implements in agriculture struggle to maintain precise alignment on reference paths, especially on uneven terrain or slopes, due to mechanical limitations of actuators, leading to deviations from intended paths.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a steering control unit for the vehicle and an implement position control unit with an actuator, where the vehicle's steering is adjusted based on the actuator's position to prevent the implement from reaching its mechanical limits, allowing for continuous guidance along a second reference path, and a mode to decouple vehicle steering from actuator position for specific operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If the vehicle is automatically steered along a reference path using a position determining system, then the vehicle can maintain its path automatically, but the implement may deviate from the reference path due to mechanical limitations of the actuator
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors the position of the implement relative to the vehicle using a position determining system (GPS) and feeds this information back to the control unit. The control unit compares the actual implement position with the desired reference path and automatically adjusts the vehicle steering to maintain proper alignment, resolving the contradiction between automation and precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit acts as an intermediary that coordinates between the vehicle steering system and the implement position control. It processes position data from both the vehicle and implement, and generates appropriate steering commands for the vehicle while considering the actuator's mechanical limitations, thereby maintaining precision despite automation.
2Manufacturing precision
If the actuator is used to adjust the implement position laterally with respect to the vehicle, then the implement can follow the reference path, but the actuator may reach its mechanical limits on uneven terrain or slopes
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using the actuator to force the implement back onto the reference path when it deviates, the system inverts the approach by adjusting the vehicle's position to accommodate the implement's position. The control unit steers the vehicle laterally to maintain the correct implement-vehicle relationship, preventing the actuator from reaching its mechanical limits while maintaining precision.
3Extent of automation
If the vehicle and implement are steered independently based on their own position determining systems, then each can maintain its path, but the different movement paths of vehicle and implement cause alignment issues
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges the control of vehicle steering and implement positioning into a single coordinated control unit. Although both vehicle and implement have independent position determining systems, the control unit processes both position data streams together and generates coordinated steering commands that maintain the correct relative position between vehicle and implement, resolving the alignment issues caused by independent operation.
Data Source
AI summary
An implement for cultivating a field is connected to a self-propelled vehicle that is steered automatically along a first reference path by a steering control unit. The implement is guided in a lateral direction with respect to the vehicle along a second reference path by an implement position control unit by means of an actuator. The steering control unit steam the vehicle in dependence on the position of the actuator at the time.