Work Vehicle Speed Transition for Cultivator Depth Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional systems experience work defects, particularly residual cultivation, when a work vehicle equipped with a rotary cultivator switches between working and non-working postures during automatic travel, as the cultivating tines do not reach the required depth in time on straight routes after transitioning from turn routes.

Innovation Solution

An automatic traveling method and system that adjusts the traveling speed and posture of the work instrument on a work vehicle to ensure the cultivating tines reach the necessary depth by setting the instrument to a working posture on straight routes and a non-working posture on turn routes, with specific speed transitions to accommodate posture changes, thereby preventing incomplete cultivation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the work vehicle travels at a high speed on the straight route after turning, then the productivity is improved, but the cultivating tines do not reach the required depth in time, resulting in work defects

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetraveling speed on straight routeVSAvoidcultivation depth consistency
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The work instrument is lowered to the working posture before the work vehicle enters the straight route section, during the transition phase. This preliminary action ensures that the cultivating tines are already at the required depth position before high-speed travel begins, eliminating the depth inconsistency that would occur if lowering happened after entering the straight route at high speed

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If the work instrument is lowered while the work vehicle is traveling at high speed, then the work efficiency is improved, but the cultivating tines cannot reach the predetermined depth properly, causing residual cultivation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvework efficiencyVSAvoidcultivation depth
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts the traveling speed based on the operational phase: high speed during straight route cultivation, reduced speed during the transition phase when the work instrument is being lowered, and turn speed during non-work routes. This dynamic speed adjustment ensures that the work instrument has sufficient time to reach the required depth during posture changes while maintaining high productivity during stable working phases

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Adaptability or versatility

If the work vehicle frequently switches between working and non-working postures, then the adaptability to different route types is improved, but work defects occur at the switching points

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveroute type adaptabilityVSAvoidwork quality at switching points
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The route is segmented into three distinct phases: non-work route (turning), transition phase (partial straight route), and work route (main straight route). Each phase has specific speed and posture requirements. This segmentation allows the system to properly manage the switching between working and non-working postures by dedicating a specific transition phase for posture changes, thereby maintaining work quality at switching points while preserving route adaptability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP4144195A1Automatic traveling method, automatic traveling system, and automatic traveling program
Publication Date: 2023.03.08 YANMAR HLDG CO LTD
  • EP4144195A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4144195A1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP4144195A1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

[Problem] To provide an automatic traveling method, an automatic traveling system, and an automatic traveling program capable of suppressing a work defect in a work vehicle equipped with a work instrument capable of switching between working and non-working postures. [Solution] On a straight route R1, a traveling processor 111 sets a work instrument 14 to a working posture, and causes the work vehicle 10 to travel at a first traveling speed. In a turn route R2 connecting to a straight route R1, the traveling processor 111 sets the work instrument 14 to the non-working posture, and caused the work vehicle 10 to travel at a second driving speed lower than the first traveling speed. In a partial route Rla from an end position P2 of a turn route R2 to a predetermined position P3, the traveling processor 111 causes the work instrument 14 to change from the non-working posture to the working posture, and causes the work vehicle 10 to travel at a third traveling speed lower than the first traveling speed.