Claims:
1. A braking system (100) for an agricultural vehicle having a first and second brake pedals (104, 106), the system comprising:
a latch actuator (102) to engage and disengage the first and second brake pedals(104,106) simultaneously;
a position sensor (108, 110) connected with said first brake pedal (104) and said second brake pedal (106) to detect the respective position(s) of the first brake pedal (104) and said second brake pedal (106);
a speed sensor (112) to detect the real-time speed of the agricultural vehicle; and
a controller (114) in electronic communication with the latch actuator (102), the speed sensor (112) and the position sensor (108, 110), the controller (114) operates the latch actuator (102) to automatically engage the brake pedals together when the real-time speed of the tractor exceeds a predetermined value and disengage the brake pedals when the speed of the tractor falls below a predetermined value.

2. The braking system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller (114) limits the speed of the agricultural vehicle to a predetermined value when the first brake pedal (104) and said second brake pedal (106) are in disengaged position with respect to each other.
3. The braking system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller (114) generates a warning signal to a user of said agricultural vehicle when the brake pedals are in disengagement position with respect to each other.

4. The braking system (100) as claimed in claim 3, wherein the warning signal is an audio signal or a visual indicator.

5. A method of controlling braking system (100) of an agricultural vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:
detecting (100) real-time speed of the agricultural vehicle by a speed sensor (112);
receiving (102) the real-time speed of the agricultural vehicle by a controller 114;
comparing (104) real-time speed with respect to a threshold predetermined value for the agricultural vehicle; and
actuating (106) a latch to engage a first brake pedal (104) with a second brake pedal (106) of the agricultural vehicle together when the real-time speed of the tractor exceeds a predetermined value and disengage the brake pedals when the speed of the tractor falls below a predetermined value.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the predetermined threshold value is at least one of load of the vehicle and speed of the vehicle corresponding to said load.

7. The method as claimed in claim 5, comprising the step of providing an alert to a user driver of the agricultural vehicle upon the actuation and de-actuation of the latch.

8. The method as claimed in claim 5, comprising the step of detecting non-actuation of the latch when speed of vehicle exceeds said predetermined threshold value.

9. The method as claimed in claim 5, comprising limiting the speed of the agricultural vehicle below to the predetermined threshold value, upon non-actuation of said latch.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, comprising the step of activating by the controller (114) a limp-home condition upon non-actuation of the latch.
, Description:FORM 2

THE PATENTS ACT, 1970
(39 of 1970)

&

THE PATENTS RULES, 2003

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
[See section 10, Rule 13]

A BRAKING SYSTEM FOR AN AGRICULTURAL VEHICLE;

MAHINDRA & MAHINDRA LIMITED, A COMPANY REGISTERED UNDER THE INDIAN COMPANIES ACT, 1913, HAVING ADDRESS AT MAHINDRA RESEARCH VALLEY (MRV), MAHINDRA WORLD CITY, PLOT NO: 41/1, ANJUR P.O., CHENGALPATTU – 603004, KANCHEEPURAM DIST., TAMIL NADU, INDIA

THE FOLLOWING SPECIFICATION PARTICULARLY DESCRIBES THE NATURE OF THIS INVENTION AND THE MANNER IN WHICH IT IS TO BE PERFORMED.

FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention relates to the method of controlling braking system in a vehicle in general and an agricultural vehicle in particular.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
Braking in a tractor (agricultural vehicle) is very critical as the tractor is subjected to dynamic loads and un-even terrain requiring the need to maintain the stability of the agricultural vehicle. The agricultural vehicle comprises a left brake and a right brake, with a latch to enable both the brakes to be operated together. The latch may be manually operated. When the agricultural vehicle travels on a flat road, the speed of the agricultural vehicle increases and in case the latch is not engaged, there is a chance for the agricultural vehicle to lose stability leading to swerving in agricultural vehicle with harmful consequences to the occupants of the agricultural vehicle. There exists a need to maintain stability in the agricultural vehicle during braking at high speeds. Also, the braking system requirement in an agricultural vehicle is different when it is on plain-road and off-road condition, hence, there is requirement for a dynamic braking system in a tractor.
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
Some of the objects of the present disclosure, which at least one embodiment herein satisfies, are as follows:
An object of the present invention is to provide braking system in a farm vehicle/ agricultural vehicle that is dependent on the speed of the farm vehicle for improving stability.
Another object of the invention is to provide a method of controlling braking system for both left wheel and right wheel of the tractor.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description, when read with the accompanying figures of drawing, which are however not intended to limit the scope of the present invention in any way.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING
The foregoing and other features of embodiments of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of embodiments when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, like reference numerals refer to like elements.
Reference will be made to embodiments of the invention, examples of which may be illustrated in accompanying figures. These figures are intended to be illustrative, not limiting. Although the invention is generally described in context of these embodiments, it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention to these embodiments.
Figure1 illustrates a braking system for an agricultural vehicle; and
Figure 2 illustrates a method of controlling braking system of an agricultural vehicle.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which shown by way of illustration specific embodiments that may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable a person skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that logical, mechanical, and other changes may be made within the scope of the embodiments. Also, the words “comprising,” “having,” “containing,” and “including,” and other similar forms are intended to be equivalent in meaning and be open ended in that an item or items following any one of these words is not meant to be an exhaustive listing of such item or items, or meant to be limited to only the listed item or items. The singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. The following detailed description is, therefore, not be taken as limiting the scope of the invention, but instead the invention is to be defined by the appended claims. The terms “first brake” and “second brake” and “First wheel” and “Second wheel” used herein in the specification is to be understood with respect to a reference object.
Figure 1 illustrates a braking system (100) for an agricultural vehicle. The braking system (100) comprises a latch actuator (102) to engage and/ or disengage a first and second brake pedal (106) simultaneously. A position sensor (108 & 110) is connected with the brake pedals to detect the position(s) of the brake pedals, the detection of position is required to ensure if the first brake pedal (104) and the second brake pedal(106)are in activated or de-activated state. A speed sensor (112) is used to detect the real-time speed of the agricultural vehicle. A controller (114) is in electronic communication with the latch actuator (102), the position sensor (108 & 110), and the speed sensor (112). The controller (114) operates the latch actuator (102) to automatically engage the brake pedals together when the real-time speed of the tractor exceeds a predetermined value and disengage the first brake pedal (104) and the second brake pedal (106) when the speed of the tractor falls below a predetermined value. In an embodiment the controller (114) limits the speed of the agricultural vehicle to a predetermined value when the two pedals are in disengaged position with respect to each other. The controller (114) generates a warning signal to a user of the agricultural vehicle when the brake pedals are in disengaged position with respect to each other. The warning signal may be one of an audio signals or a visual indicator.

The working of the braking system (100) along with method will be explained considering the scenario of agricultural vehicle. To enable the system to actuate/ and or de-actuate first brake pedal (104) and the second brake pedal (106), the proposed system should first identify if the agricultural vehicle is on plain road or on agricultural land. The proposed system takes input from sensors like, for example, body roll sensor, gyroscope sensor, to detect change in angular velocity of the agricultural vehicle. Based on the change in angular velocity, the system checks if the change in angular velocity exceeds a threshold defined for off-road conditions. If the change in angular velocity exceeds the threshold then it is an indication that the agricultural vehicle is under off-road condition.

This information is then communicated to the controller (114) for operating the latch actuator (102) to engage and/ or disengage the first brake pedal (104) with the second brake pedal (106). Alternately, the system can obtain data from Geographical positioning systems (GPS) to decide whether the vehicle is in off-road or on plain ground. This input from (GPS) is then communicated to the controller (114) for operating the latch actuator (102) to engage and/ or disengage the first brake with the second brake.

Consider the scenario where the agricultural vehicle travels from off-road condition to plain road. In this case the speed of the agricultural vehicle increases the moment it reaches plain road condition. The controller (114) detects the status of the vehicle entering plain road from off-road using sensors like, for example, body roll sensor, gyroscope sensor, to detect change in angular velocity of the agricultural vehicle. The controller 114 may also use input from Geographical positioning systems (GPS) to detect the location of the agricultural vehicle. The braking system (100) then makes use of a position sensor (108 & 110) connected with the brake pedals to detect the respective position(s) of the brake pedals. The brake pedals herein refer to the first brake pedal (104) and the second brake pedal (106) respectively. a speed sensor (112) to detect the real-time speed of the agricultural vehicle.

Alternately, the agricultural vehicle may be travelling on plain road and the speed of the agricultural vehicle may be less than the predetermined value, for example in the case of slow moving traffic, or the agricultural vehicle encountering a speed braker and the like. In this case the controller (114) needs to keep the latch actuator (102) in disengaged position, this is because the speed of the tractor is less than predetermined value beyond which simultaneous engagement of both the first brake pedal (104) and the second brake pedal (106) is required. The controller (114) determines the location of the vehicle with the help of geographical positioning system (GPS). Alternately, the controller (114) with the help of inputs from sensors like body roll sensor, gyroscope sensor, will detect change in angular velocity of the agricultural vehicle. With inputs from GPS and detecting rate of change in angular velocity, the controller (114) detects that the vehicle is on plain road condition.

Figure 2 illustrates a method of controlling braking system (100) of an agricultural vehicle. The method comprises the step of detecting the real-time speed of the agricultural vehicle by a speed sensor (112). The real-time speed of the agricultural vehicle is received by a controller (114) at step (102). The real-time speed is compared with respect to a threshold predetermined value for the agricultural vehicle at step (104), and a latch is actuated to simultaneously engage the first brake pedal (104) with a second brake pedal (106) of the agricultural vehicle together when the real-time speed of the tractor exceeds a predetermined value and disengage the brake pedals when the speed of the tractor falls below a predetermined value at step (106). The predetermined threshold value is at least one of load of the vehicle, speed of the vehicle corresponding to the load. The method also comprises the step of de-actuating the latch to disengage the brake pedals when speed of the agricultural vehicle is below said threshold. The method comprises the step of providing an alert to a user driver of the agricultural vehicle upon the actuation and de-actuation of the latch. The method comprises the step of detecting non-actuation of the latch when speed of vehicle exceeds said predetermined threshold value and limiting the speed of the agricultural vehicle below to the predetermined threshold value, upon non-actuation of the latch. The limiting of speed in this case will happen by the controller (114) modifying the fuel injection quantity to the engine of the agricultural vehicle. The controller (114) also detects status of the latch actuator (102) and in case of failure in latch actuator (102) activates a limp-home condition in the agricultural vehicle. The limp-home condition ensures that the speed of the vehicle is kept to minimum to ensure that it travels to the nearest service station.

Advantages:
1. The proposed braking system (100) enables simultaneous braking of both the brakes in the agricultural vehicle depending upon the speed and location of the agricultural vehicle.
2. The braking system (100) ensures that simultaneous braking and disengagement happens based on the location of travel of the agricultural vehicle.

3. In the proposed system in the event of failure of latch-actuator, the controller (114) ensures that limp-home mode is activated so that speed of the vehicle does not increase beyond the threshold limit.
The foregoing description of the specific embodiments will so fully reveal the general nature of the embodiments herein that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily modify and/or adapt, for various applications, such specific embodiments without departing from the generic concept, and, therefore, such adaptations and modifications should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments.
It is to be distinctly understood that the foregoing descriptive matter is to be interpreted merely as illustrative, of the invention and not as a limitation. The exemplary embodiments described in this specification are intended merely to provide an understanding of various manners in which these embodiments may be used and to further enable the skilled person in the relevant art to practice the invention.
Although, the embodiments presented in this disclosure have been described in terms of its preferred embodiments, the skilled person in the art would readily recognize that these embodiments can be applied with modifications possible within the spirit and scope of the present invention as described in this specification by making innumerable changes, variations, modifications, alterations and/or integrations in terms of materials and method used to configure, manufacture and assemble various constituents, components, subassemblies and assemblies, in terms of their size, shapes, orientations and interrelationships without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.
The numerical values given of various physical parameters, dimensions and quantities are only approximate values and it is envisaged that the values higher or lower than the numerical value assigned to the physical parameters, dimensions and quantities fall within the scope of the disclosure unless there is a statement in the specification to the contrary.
Throughout this specification, the word “comprise”, or variations such as “comprises” or “comprising”, shall be understood to imply including a described element, integer or method step, or group of elements, integers or method steps, however, does not imply excluding any other element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or method steps.
The use of the expression “a”, “at least” or “at least one” shall imply using one or more elements or ingredients or quantities, as used in the embodiment of the disclosure in order to achieve one or more of the intended objects or results of the present invention.
These relative terms are for convenience of description and do not require that the corresponding apparatus or device be constructed or operated in a particular orientation. Terms concerning attachments, coupling and the like, such as “first brake pedal” and “second brake pedal”, refer to a relationship, wherein structures are secured or attached to one another either directly or indirectly through intervening structures, as well as both movable or rigid attachments or relationships, unless expressly described otherwise.…