Winch Stand-Alone Electronic Control Unit Segmentation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Heavy construction and forestry equipment winches are often controlled by complex hydraulic or electronic systems that lack independent control units, leading to inefficiencies and potential operational issues due to shared control systems.
Innovation Solution
A dual electronic control unit system where a first unit controls non-winch components and a second independent unit, potentially with a programmable logic controller, manages the winch operations, allowing for standalone control and monitoring to prevent undesired conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single shared control system is used for winch and other components, then device complexity is reduced, but reliability and operational independence deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The control system is segmented into two independent electronic control units: a first ECU for non-winch components and a second independent ECU for winch control. This segmentation allows the winch control to operate autonomously without being affected by issues in other system components, thereby improving reliability while maintaining manageable complexity through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The winch control function is extracted from the shared control system and placed into a dedicated independent electronic control unit. This extraction ensures that winch operations can be monitored and controlled separately, preventing cascading failures and improving overall system reliability for critical winch operations.
2Ease of operation
If a shared control system is used, then ease of operation is improved, but ability to prevent undesired conditions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The independent second ECU implements dedicated feedback monitoring for winch operations, continuously detecting undesired conditions such as overheating, excessive load, or abnormal operation patterns. This specialized feedback mechanism allows the system to detect and respond to winch-specific issues that a shared control system might overlook, thereby preventing undesired conditions while maintaining ease of operation through automated monitoring.
3Power
If hydraulic control systems are used for winches, then power transmission is improved, but system complexity and potential failure points increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical linkages and hydraulic control mechanisms with an electronic control system. The independent second ECU provides precise electronic control of the winch motor, eliminating the need for complex hydraulic valve stacks and mechanical control linkages, thereby reducing complexity and potential failure points while maintaining effective power transmission control.
Data Source
AI summary
A piece of heavy construction or forestry equipment includes an internal combustion engine configured to generate power from combustion of fuel, a winch coupled to the internal combustion engine such that power generated by the internal combustion engine is transmitted to the winch by a non-mechanical connection, a first electronic control unit, wherein the first electronic control unit is configured to control operation of components of the piece of heavy construction equipment other than the winch, and a second electronic control unit, wherein the second electronic control unit is independent of the first electronic control unit and configured to control operation of the winch.