Work Machine Height Control for Undulating Terrain
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing work machines, such as motor graders, struggle to accurately maintain the height of a work implement relative to the ground when the vehicle body posture changes due to undulations, leading to inaccurate blade positioning.
Innovation Solution
A work machine equipped with a controller that performs automatic control to maintain the work implement's height in the gravity direction, even when the vehicle body posture changes, and stops this control when the machine is in a non-working state to prevent unintended movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If automatic control is continuously performed to maintain work implement height, then height maintenance accuracy is improved, but unintended movement occurs during non-working states
Solution Approach 1:
The control system dynamically adjusts its operation mode based on the working state of the work machine. When the work implement is engaged in work, automatic height maintenance control is activated. When the work implement is disengaged or the machine is idle, the control is deactivated to prevent unintended movement. This dynamic switching resolves the contradiction by adapting the control behavior to the actual operational context.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller receives feedback signals from sensors that detect the working state of the work machine (e.g., whether the work implement is contact with ground, position of operating levers, engine load). Based on this feedback, the controller determines whether to activate or deactivate the automatic height maintenance control, thereby preventing unintended movement during non-working states while maintaining accuracy during working states.
2Measurement precision
If automatic control is activated to maintain blade height on undulating terrain, then height maintenance accuracy is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The controller acts as an intermediary that integrates multiple input signals (from sensors detecting terrain undulations, work implement position, and working state) and coordinates the actuator responses. By centralizing the control logic in a single controller rather than distributing complex control mechanisms throughout the system, the patent achieves accurate height maintenance while managing system complexity through functional integration.
3Measurement precision
If the control system continuously monitors and adjusts work implement height, then operational accuracy is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The automatic height maintenance control operates periodically or intermittently based on detected working conditions rather than continuously. The controller monitors working state parameters and activates control only when work is being performed, deactivating it during idle periods. This periodic operation maintains operational accuracy when needed while significantly reducing energy consumption during non-working states.
Data Source
AI summary
A work machine includes a vehicle body, a work implement movably supported relative to the vehicle body, an actuator connected to the work implement, and a controller. The actuator is configured to cause the work implement to move. The controller is configured to perform an automatic control to control the actuator so that a height of the work implement in a gravity direction is maintained even when a posture of the vehicle body changes, determine whether the work machine is in a non-working state in which the work machine does not perform work with the work implement, and stop the automatic control when the work machine is in the non-working state.