Work vehicle and base station

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Autonomously traveling work vehicles face challenges such as inability to continue traveling due to inclines or obstacles, theft prevention inefficiencies, and maintenance difficulties, particularly when operating in areas not visible to users.

Innovation Solution

Equipping work vehicles with inclination sensors, captured image acquisition units, and determination units to assess travel feasibility, along with theft prevention mechanisms like identification-based charging and contact sensors, and integrating base stations for autonomous maintenance and monitoring.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the work vehicle operates autonomously in remote locations, then work coverage is improved, but theft risk increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvework coverageVSAvoidtheft risk
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the work vehicle continuously transmits its location and status to the user's terminal device. This allows real-time monitoring of the vehicle's whereabouts, enabling the user to detect abnormal movements or potential theft attempts and take appropriate actions, thus resolving the contradiction between autonomous operation and theft risk

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a communication system as an intermediary between the work vehicle and the user. This intermediary enables remote monitoring and control capabilities, allowing the user to track the vehicle's location and receive alerts, thereby mitigating theft risk while maintaining autonomous work coverage

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If the work device is mounted on the bottom side of the vehicle body, then work performance is improved, but maintenance accessibility deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvework performanceVSAvoidmaintenance accessibility
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the work device into separable components that can be independently accessed. The work device is designed with quick-release mechanisms and modular structures, allowing maintenance personnel to remove and service individual components without disassembling the entire vehicle, thus resolving the contradiction between optimal work positioning and maintenance accessibility

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Adaptability or versatility

If the work vehicle operates in locations not visible to the user, then work flexibility is improved, but monitoring capability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvework flexibilityVSAvoidmonitoring capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces direct visual mechanical monitoring with electronic sensing and communication systems. Sensors on the vehicle capture environmental data and transmit it to the user's terminal, enabling remote monitoring of work conditions, location, and status without requiring the user to be physically present, thus resolving the contradiction between work flexibility and monitoring capability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

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 work vehicles from entering unsafe conditions, enhances theft prevention by ensuring authorized charging and user notification, and facilitates easy maintenance and monitoring of vehicle and base station operations.

Implementation Method 1

an inclination sensor configured to detect an inclination of the vehicle body relative to a horizontal plane

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectInclination detection: Accelerometer

Data Source

PatentEP3588229B1Work vehicle and base station
Publication Date: 2021.08.18 KUBOTA CORP
  • EP3588229B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3588229B1 patent drawingFigure 3~5
  • EP3588229B1 patent drawingFigure 6~7

AI summary

A work vehicle (1) includes: a drive wheel unit (2A) that is provided in a vehicle body and is configured to be driven by a travel drive mechanism (10); a work unit that is provided in the vehicle body and is configured to perform work on a work target; a battery provided in the vehicle body; a motor (4) that is configured to receive electric power from the battery and drive the work unit; an inclination sensor (21) configured to detect an inclination of the vehicle body relative to a horizontal plane; and a first captured image acquisition unit (22) configured to acquire a captured image that shows surroundings of the vehicle body when the work is being performed.