Electric Work Vehicle Lever Control for Shift and Direction Switching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional work vehicles with electric motors require additional operation tools to change the direction of rotation, complicating the operation and increasing the risk of unintentional switching between forward and reverse travel directions.
Innovation Solution
A single operation part with a movable lever in multiple directions, integrated with a controller, allows operators to change the direction of the electric motor's rotation and transmission shift level intuitively, using a single lever for both functions, with intersecting holes guiding the lever's movement to prevent unintentional changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a conventional operation tool is used in an electric motor-driven work vehicle, then the transmission shift level can be changed, but an additional operation tool is necessary for changing the direction of the electric motor rotation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the functions of transmission shift control and motor direction control into a single operation tool (lever 32). The lever can be moved in multiple directions: front-back movement controls transmission shift levels, while left-right movement controls motor rotation direction. This merging eliminates the need for separate operation tools and simplifies the overall control system.
Solution Approach 2:
The single operation tool (lever 32) is designed to perform multiple functions: it controls both the transmission shift level and the direction of electric motor rotation. By making the operation tool universal, the patent reduces the total number of controls needed and improves ease of operation without sacrificing functional capability.
2Reliability
If multiple separate operation tools are used for direction control and transmission control, then each function can be controlled independently, but the risk of unintentional switching between forward and reverse travel directions increases
Solution Approach 1:
By merging direction control and transmission control into a single lever operation, the patent reduces the risk of unintentional switching. The operator controls both functions through one coordinated movement, eliminating the possibility of accidentally activating the wrong control. The single lever design ensures that direction changes are intentional and deliberate.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller (40) acts as an intermediary that processes the lever position information and appropriately controls both the motor direction and transmission shift level. This intermediary processing ensures that only intentional lever movements result in control changes, adding a layer of safety against unintentional operations.
3Ease of operation
If a single lever is made movable in multiple directions to control both transmission and motor direction, then operation is simplified, but the lever movement guidance becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The lever guidance structure is segmented into multiple holes (first hole 33F for front-back movement, second hole 33M for left-right movement) that guide the lever along specific paths. Each hole corresponds to a specific control function, allowing the lever to be moved intuitively in different directions while maintaining clear guidance and preventing unintended movements.
Solution Approach 2:
The lever is designed to move in two dimensions (front-back and left-right directions) within a planar guide structure. By adding this dimensional freedom within a constrained plane, the single lever can control multiple functions without requiring complex three-dimensional mechanisms or excessive structural complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
An electric work vehicle includes an electric motor (2m), a travel device (11, 12) configured to travel on a ground based on a drive of the electric motor (2m), a transmission (24) configured to transmit a motive power from the electric motor (2m) to the travel device (11, 12) while varying a speed of a rotation inputted from the electric motor (2m), a single operation part (31) configured to accept a manual operation for changing a direction of the rotation of the electric motor (2m) and for changing a shift level of the transmission (24), and a controller (40) configured to output a control signal to the electric motor (2m) and the transmission (24) based on the manual operation accepted by the single operation part (31).