Work Vehicle Gear Mapping for Automatic Transmission Shifts

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional work vehicle systems do not guarantee automatic setting of the main transmission gear to the user's desired setting when the auxiliary transmission gear is switched, requiring manual intervention if a different gear is needed.

Innovation Solution

A work vehicle system that includes a transmission, an input interface for users to set main transmission gear values corresponding to auxiliary transmission gears, and a controller that stores this correspondence, allowing automatic switching of the main transmission gear to the preset value when the auxiliary transmission gear is changed.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If conventional automatic gearshift technology is used to store previously used gear combinations, then the gearshift operation is partially simplified, but the main transmission gear cannot be set to a specific desired gear when the auxiliary transmission gear is switched

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegearshift operationVSAvoidability to set specific main transmission gear
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system pre-stores multiple main transmission gear values corresponding to each auxiliary transmission gear in the storage unit, rather than only storing previously used combinations. This preliminary preparation of multiple possible gear values enables the controller to automatically select and set the user's desired gear when gear switching occurs, resolving the contradiction between automatic operation and specific gear adaptability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Adaptability or versatility

If manual switching of main transmission gear is required when auxiliary transmission gear changes, then the user can set the desired gear, but the gearshift operation becomes complex and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser control over main transmission gearVSAvoidtime for gearshift operation
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The controller automatically performs the main transmission gear switching based on the stored correspondence between auxiliary transmission gears and main transmission gear values. The system serves itself by autonomously selecting and executing the gear change without requiring manual user intervention, thereby eliminating the time loss associated with manual gear shifting while preserving user-defined gear preferences

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Extent of automation

If the system stores correspondence between auxiliary transmission gear and main transmission gear values, then automatic gear setting is enabled, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveautomatic main transmission gear settingVSAvoidcontrol system structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Extent of automationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The storage unit is designed to store multiple main transmission gear values corresponding to each auxiliary transmission gear, making it a multi-functional storage system that can accommodate various gear combinations. This universal storage structure enables automatic gear setting for different scenarios without requiring separate dedicated storage for each gear combination, thereby reducing overall system complexity while achieving high automation

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

Data Source

PatentEP4471300A1Work vehicle and method for controlling work vehicle
Publication Date: 2024.12.04 KUBOTA CORP
  • EP4471300A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4471300A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4471300A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A work vehicle (100) includes a transmission (103) to shift gears by switching between main transmission gears (11) and auxiliary transmission gears (12), an input interface (122) for a user to set a value of the main transmission gear (11) corresponding to at least one of the auxiliary transmission gears (12), a storage (126) to store a correspondence between the auxiliary transmission gear (12) and the value, and a controller (120) configured or programmed to, when the auxiliary transmission gear (12) is switched, set the main transmission gear (11) to the value corresponding to the switched auxiliary transmission gear (12) based on the correspondence.