Hydraulic drive system and methods for an agricultural vehicle
A drive system for an agricultural vehicle is provided herein that may include a pump unit that may be connected to a power plant and configured to generate power through a flow of hydraulic fluid. A first propulsion motor may be fluidly coupled with a pump unit and configured to drive a first tractive force to a first tractive element by applying a first control signal. A sensor system may be configured to capture data indicative of a slip condition of the first tractive element. A computing system may be operably coupled with the sensor system and the first propulsion motor. The computing system may be configured to detect a slip condition of the first tractive element based on the data from the sensor system and provide a superimposed traction signal to the first tractive element to alter a displacement to the first control signal line.
1 . A drive system for an agricultural vehicle, the drive system comprising:
a chassis;
a power plant operably coupled with the chassis;
a pump unit connected to the power plant and that generates power through a flow of hydraulic fluid;
a first tractive element operably coupled with the chassis;
a first propulsion motor fluidly coupled with the pump unit and that drives a first tractive force to the first tractive element by applying a first control signal proportional to a defined displacement to a first control signal line;
a sensor system capturing data indicative of a slip condition of the first tractive element; and
a computing system operably coupled with the sensor system and the first propulsion motor, the computing system including a processor and associated memory, the memory storing instructions that, when implemented by the processor, configure the computing system to:
detect the slip condition of the first tractive element based on the data from the sensor system; and
generate a superimposed traction signal comprising a high-frequency sinusoidal control signal onto the first tractive element to alter a displacement to the first control signal line.
2 . The drive system of claim 1 , wherein the computing system further:
determines a wavelength, an amplitude, a crest relative to a reference line, or a trough relative to the reference line of the superimposed traction signal based on one or more operating parameters.
3 . The drive system of claim 2 , wherein the sensor system further:
captures data related to a steering direction of the chassis from a steering angle sensor, and wherein the one or more operating parameters includes a detected steering angle based on data from the steering angle sensor.
4 . The drive system of claim 2 , wherein the sensor system further:
captures data related to an environmental condition, and wherein the one or more operating parameters includes the environmental condition.
5 . The drive system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second tractive element operably coupled with the chassis; and
a second propulsion motor fluidly coupled with the pump unit and driving a second tractive force to the second tractive element by applying a second control signal proportional to a defined displacement to a second control signal line,
wherein the sensor system captures data indicative of a slip condition of the second tractive element, and
wherein the computing system detects the slip condition of the second tractive element based on the data from the sensor system and provide the superimposed traction signal to the second tractive element to alter a displacement to the second control signal line.
6 . The drive system of claim 5 , wherein one of the first tractive element or the second tractive element is a track assembly.
7 . The drive system of claim 6 , wherein one of the first tractive element or the second tractive element is a wheel assembly.
8 . The drive system of claim 5 , wherein the second control signal is provided to a second control signal line operably coupled with the second tractive element while the superimposed traction signal is provided to the first control signal line to alter the displacement of a propulsion motor operably coupled with the first tractive element.
9 . The drive system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor system includes a first speed sensor operably coupled with the first tractive element and a ground speed sensor, and the slip condition is detected based on a difference in speed between a detected tractive element speed from the first speed sensor relative to a chassis speed from the ground speed sensor.
10 . A method for operating a drive system of an agricultural vehicle, the method comprising:
receiving, from a sensor system, data indicative of a slip condition of a tractive element;
detecting, with a computing system, the slip condition;
generating, with the computing system, a high-frequency sinusoidal traction signal and superimposing the high-frequency sinusoidal traction signal onto a primary control signal provided to a control signal line fluidly coupled with a propulsion motor to alter a displacement of the propulsion motor, wherein the high-frequency sinusoidal traction signal comprises a waveform having a wavelength, an amplitude, and a crest-to-trough variation that modulates the displacement of the propulsion motor while maintaining partial slip to preserve tractive efficiency; and
providing, through a hydraulic circuit, fluid flow to the control signal line based on the superimposed traction signal.
11 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
receiving, from the sensor system, data related to a steering direction of a chassis, wherein the superimposed traction signal is based in part on a detected steering angle.
12 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
receiving, from the sensor system, data related to an environmental condition, wherein the superimposed traction signal is based in part on the environmental condition.
13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the sensor system includes a speed sensor operably coupled with the tractive element and a ground speed sensor, and the slip condition is detected based on a difference in speed between a detected tractive element speed from the speed sensor relative to a chassis speed from the ground speed sensor.
14 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
manipulating, with the computing system, a steering angle of a steering assembly based on the detected slip condition.
15 . A drive system for an agricultural vehicle, the drive system comprising:
a chassis;
a power plant operably coupled with the chassis;
a pump unit connected to the power plant and generating power through a flow of hydraulic fluid;
a first tractive element operably coupled with the chassis;
a first propulsion motor fluidly coupled with the pump unit and driving a first tractive force to the first tractive element by applying a first control signal proportional to a defined displacement to a control signal line;
a second tractive element operably coupled with the chassis;
a second propulsion motor fluidly coupled with the pump unit and driving a second tractive force to the second tractive element by applying a second control signal proportional to a defined displacement to a second control signal line;
a sensor system capturing data indicative of a slip condition of the first tractive element or the second tractive element; and
a computing system operably coupled with the sensor system, the first propulsion motor, and the second propulsion motor, the computing system:
detecting a slip condition of the first tractive element or the second tractive element based on the data from the sensor system;
generating and superimposing a high-frequency sinusoidal traction signal onto a primary control signal provided to a first control signal line fluidly coupled with a first propulsion motor to alter a displacement of the first propulsion motor; and
providing fluid flow to the first control signal line based on the superimposed traction signal through a hydraulic circuit,
wherein the high-frequency sinusoidal traction signal comprises a waveform having a wavelength, an amplitude, and a crest-to-trough variation that modulates the displacement of the first propulsion motor while maintaining partial slip to preserve tractive efficiency.
16 . The drive system of claim 15 , wherein the sensor system includes a first speed sensor operably coupled with the first tractive element and a ground speed sensor, and the slip condition is detected based on a difference in speed between a detected tractive element speed from the first speed sensor relative to a chassis speed from the ground speed sensor.
17 . The drive system of claim 15 , wherein the computing system determines a wavelength, an amplitude, a crest relative to a reference line, or a trough relative to the reference line of the superimposed traction signal based on one or more operating parameters.
18 . The drive system of claim 17 , wherein the sensor system captures data related to a steering direction of the chassis, and wherein the one or more operating parameters includes a detected steering angle based on data from the steering angle sensor.
19 . The drive system of claim 17 , wherein the sensor system further captures data related to an environmental condition, and wherein the one or more operating parameters includes the environmental condition.