Work Vehicle Camera Positioning for Tire Damage Prevention

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Solution Overview

Problem

In working vehicles with excavation members like buckets or blades, it is difficult for drivers to visually recognize excavated objects that roll into the front of the tires, leading to potential tire breakage, especially when encountering sharp objects.

Innovation Solution

A working vehicle equipped with a camera positioned to capture images of the region between the excavation member and the front tires, with the camera's field of view including the end parts of the excavation member and the front tires, allowing real-time video data to be displayed to the driver, enabling them to recognize and avoid excavated objects.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If the driver relies on direct visual observation from the cabin, then the driver can maintain situational awareness of the vehicle surroundings, but the driver cannot recognize excavated objects that roll into the front of the tires

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevisual recognition of excavated objectsVSAvoiddriver's direct visual observation
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

A camera is installed on the vehicle body to capture images of the region between the excavation member and front tires. The camera acts as an intermediary device that extends the driver's visual capability to areas that are otherwise invisible from the cabin, allowing the driver to see excavated objects that roll into the front of the tires without leaving the driver's seat.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The camera creates a visual copy (image) of the region between the excavation member and front tires. This copied visual information is then transmitted to the driver's display, allowing the driver to view a representation of the area that would otherwise be impossible to observe directly, thus preventing tire damage from unseen objects.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

2Reliability

If the camera is positioned to capture the region between the excavation member and front tires, then the driver can recognize excavated objects, but the camera installation complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetire breakage preventionVSAvoidcamera installation
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The camera is installed on the vehicle body at a position that serves multiple functions: it captures the region between the excavation member and front tires to prevent tire damage, while also being positioned to minimize interference with other vehicle operations. This multi-functional positioning reduces the need for additional specialized components and simplifies the overall system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP3246474B1Work vehicle
Publication Date: 2021.11.10 KOMATSU LTD
  • EP3246474B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3246474B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3246474B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A working vehicle includes a vehicle main body to which a tire is mounted, an excavation member coupled to the vehicle main body on a front side of the vehicle main body and that includes an end part arranged on an outer side of the tire in a vehicle-width direction of the vehicle main body, a hydraulic cylinder arranged at a center part in the vehicle-width direction and that is to move the excavation member, a housing that houses a power transmission mechanism to transmit power to the tire, and a camera supported by a part of the vehicle main body on a lower side of the hydraulic cylinder and on an upper side of the housing and that acquires an image of a region that includes end parts on both sides of the excavation member and that is between the excavation member and the tire.