COTTON HARVESTER ROLLER SET AND IMPLEMENTED METHOD

Abstract

Roller assemblies for cotton harvesters and related methods are disclosed. An example of a roller assembly may include a unit component defining a plurality of grooves. Paddles and brushes may be removably retained within the grooves. The unit component may include a plurality of lobes, with the plurality of grooves defined between them. A central passage may be formed in a central portion of the unit component. A shaft with an interlocking shape may be removably housed within the central passage. In some implementations, one or more lobes are removably attached to the unit component. Bushings may be housed on the shaft and positioned adjacent to the ends of the unit component to help retain the paddles and brushes within the unit component.

Description

COTTON HARVESTER ROLLER SET Field of invention In general terms, the present invention relates to cotton harvesters and, in particular, to the roller assemblies used to detach the cotton from the plant. Background of the invention Cotton harvesters, such as cotton pickers and cotton harvesters, include a header that harvests cotton. Some cotton harvesters include sets of rollers that rotate as the harvester moves through a field. In some cases, the shed cotton undergoes further processing, for example, to remove unwanted vegetation. Description of the invention A first aspect of the present invention relates to a roller assembly for a cotton harvester. The roller assembly may include a unit component. The unit component may include a central portion forming a central step; a plurality of lobes arranged radially around the central portion; and a plurality of first grooves arranged radially, formed between the lobes and adjacent to the plurality of lobes. The roller assembly may also include a paddle or brush disposed in each of the plurality of first grooves. A second aspect of the present invention relates to a method. The method may comprise: inserting a paddle or brush into a first longitudinally extending groove, defined—at least partially—by a 1910438 of 17 elongated unit component; insert the paddle or brush not previously inserted into a second first groove extending longitudinally; and insert a shaft into a central step formed in the elongated unit component. The various aspects may include one or more of the following elements. The first grooves may have a conical cross-section. The first grooves may taper outward. The paddle or brush disposed in the plurality of first grooves may include a mechanism in which a paddle and a brush are arranged alternately within the first grooves. A shaft may be housed in the center passage. The shaft and center passage may have interlocking features that prevent rotation of the unit component about the shaft. A bushing may be removed and housed on the shaft and disposed in a position adjacent to one end of the unit component. The bushing may include a plurality of flange segments. Each flange segment may be housed on a portion of one of the lobes.A second groove may be formed between adjacent flange segments, and vanes or brushes may be housed in each of the second grooves. The plurality of lobes may include first lobes, and a gap may be formed between adjacent first lobes. Second lobes may be housed in the gaps, and at least one of the first grooves may be defined by one side of one of the first lobes and one side of one of the second lobes. At least one of the second lobes may define a conical cross-sectional shape. The unit component may also include a third groove formed along the length of the unit component. A fastener may be removable and housed in the third groove to secure one of the second lobes to the unit component. At least one of the plurality of lobes may have one. 1910438 of 17 shape in cross section that tapers inwards. The plurality of lobes may be hollow. Each of the plurality of lobes may be angularly displaced from another of the plurality of lobes by 60°. The various aspects may include one or more of the following elements. The elongated unit component may include a central portion forming a central passage and a plurality of lobes arranged radially around the central portion. Longitudinally extending first grooves may be formed between the plurality of lobes. The elongated unit component may include a plurality of first lobes and a plurality of gaps; each gap is formed between adjacent first lobes. A second lobe may be positioned in at least one of the gaps. Longitudinally extending first grooves may be defined between one side of the second lobes and one side of the first lobes. One of the second lobes may be positioned in the elongated unit component with a fastener. Other aspects and characteristics will become evident from the analysis of the detailed description and accompanying drawings. Brief description of the drawings The detailed description of the drawings refers to the accompanying figures, in which: Figure 1 is an oblique view of an example of a roller assembly, according to some implementations of the present invention. Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the roller assembly in Figure 1. Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of a unit component 1910438 of 17 of the roller assembly in Figure 1. Figure 4 is an oblique view of another example of a roller assembly, according to some implementations of the present invention. Figure 5 is a view of the end of the roller assembly in Figure 4. Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of a unit component of the roller assembly in Figure 4. Figure 7 is a detailed oblique view of the roller assembly in Figure 1. Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of another example of the unitary component, according to some implementations of the present invention. Detailed description To facilitate understanding of the principles of the present invention, reference will now be made to the implementations illustrated in the drawings, using specific terminology. However, it is understood that this does not intend to limit the scope of the invention. Any further alteration or modification of the described devices, systems, or methods, and any other application of the principles of the present invention, is fully contemplated, as would normally be understood by a person skilled in the art to which the invention relates. In particular, it is contemplated that all features, components, or steps described with respect to one implementation may be combined with the features, components, or steps described with respect to other implementations of the present invention. The present invention relates to roller assemblies (sometimes referred to as "brush roller and paddle assemblies") used in cotton harvesters to detach cotton during harvesting. 1910438 of 17 During harvesting, the roller assemblies on a cotton harvester rotate, and the elements called paddles and brushes come into contact with the cotton plants to detach the cotton. The roller assemblies within the scope of the present invention incorporate a reduced number of parts, resulting in less complexity, shorter assembly time, and shorter manufacturing time. Consequently, the roller assemblies require less labor and lower manufacturing costs. Furthermore, the design of the roller assemblies described herein reduces maintenance costs because it shortens the amount of time required to service the roller assemblies, such as replacing the paddles or brushes within them.Furthermore, the roller assembly examples described in this document have a reduced mass, resulting in lower operating costs and fewer components. Figures 1 to 3 are different views of an example of the 100 roller assembly and parts thereof. With reference to Figures 1 to 3, the roller assembly 100 includes a unit component 102, a plurality of vanes 104 and a plurality of brushes 106 coupled to the unit component, a shaft 108 that can be housed in a central passage 110 formed in the unit component 102, and bushings 112 housed on the shaft 108 and arranged adjacent to the ends 114 of the unit component 102. In some implementations, the bushings 112 abut the ends 114 of the unit component 102. In some implementations, the bushings 112 help maintain the alignment of the vanes 104 and brushes 106 and retain the vanes 104 and brushes 106 in the unit component 102. In some implementations, the bushings 112 1910438 of 17 can slide freely along axis 108. With particular reference to Figures 2 and 3, the unit component 102 includes a plurality of first lobes 116 and a central part 118 integrally formed with the first lobes 116. The central part 118 defines a central passage 120 in which the shaft 108 is housed. In some cases, the shaft 108 is coupled to the unit component 102 with one or more pins 125, as shown in Figures 2 and 7. The pins 125 extend through the unit component 102 and through the shaft 108 to maintain a connection between them and a position of the shaft 108 with respect to the unit component 102. Also, in some implementations, the shaft 108 and the unit component 102 may be coupled in other ways. In certain implementations, shaft 108 includes a first part 122 and a second part 124 (shown in Figure 1). In some implementations, the first part 122 and the second part 124 are not directly coupled. Rather, in some cases, the first and second parts 122 and 124 of shaft 108 are coupled to the unit component 102 by pins 125, as shown in Figures 2 and 7. Dividing shaft 108 into first and second parts 122 and 124 greatly simplifies maintenance of the roller assembly 100; for example, when one or more of the brushes 106 or paddles 104 need to be replaced. Simplifying maintenance in this way reduces the time required to service the roller assemblies, resulting in lower maintenance costs and less downtime for the cotton harvester.In the case of a unit shaft 108, in some cases, pins 125 are also used to couple the shaft 108 to the. 1910438 of 17 unit component 102. In the illustrated example, the center passage 120 has a hexagonal cross-section, and the shaft 108 has a complementary cross-section, i.e., hexagonal. Therefore, the cross-section of shaft 108 is dimensioned and shaped to fit within the center passage 120. In this way, shaft 108 and center passage 120 interlock to prevent rotation of unit component 102 relative to shaft 108. In other implementations, shaft 108 and center passage 120 have different interlocking cross-sections, such as other types of polygonal shapes or any other matching shape that prevents relative rotation. The roller assembly 100 also includes a plurality of second lobes 126, shown in Figure 2. In the illustrated example, the second lobes 126 are removably coupled to the unit component 102. The first lobes 116 and the second lobes 126 are arranged alternately and cooperate to clamp and retain the vanes 104 and brushes 106 on the unit component 102. In the illustrated example, there are a total of six first and second lobes 116 and 126. Consequently, there are a total of six vanes 104 and brushes 106. The first and second lobes 116 and 126 are angularly offset from each other by 60°. In other implementations, there may be a greater or lesser number of first and second lobes 116 and 126. In some implementations, the first and second lobes 116 and 126 are arranged angularly and uniformly around the central step 120.In other implementations, the first and second lobes 116 and 126 may be arranged angularly in a non-uniform manner around the central step 120. The first slots 128 that house the paddles 104 and the brushes 106 are 1910438 of 17 are formed between adjacent lobes 116, 126. In the illustrated example, the first grooves 128 have a conical cross-sectional shape. The first grooves 128 taper radially outwards, so that a generally triangular shape is generated. The conical shape of the first grooves 128 functions to retain the paddles 104 and brushes 106 in the unit component 102 and prevent separation of the paddles 104 and brushes 106 when the roller assembly 100 rotates, such as during cotton harvesting. The first and second lobes 116 and 126 are generally tapered inwards. The sides 130 of the lobes 116 and 126 define the first grooves 128 and their associated outward-tapping shapes. Furthermore, in the illustrated example, the lobes 116 and 126 are hollow, which reduces the overall mass and rotational inertia of the roller assembly 100. Reducing the rotational inertia of the roller assembly 100 decreases the amount of energy required to rotate the roller assembly 100 at a desired rotational speed, thus lowering the energy costs inherent in operating the cotton harvester. As illustrated in Figure 3, the second lobes 126 are removed, resulting in gaps 132 formed between the adjacent first lobes 116. The gaps 132 are occupied by the second lobes 126 when they are coupled to the unit component 102. The second lobes 126 are removable to facilitate the replacement of the vanes 104 and brushes 106. As illustrated in Figure 2, the second lobes 126 are fixed to the unit component 102 with fasteners 134. Examples of fasteners 134 include nuts and bolts (a carriage bolt or other type of bolt), screws, pins, or an interlocking mechanism. In other 1910438 of 17 implementations, the second lobes 126 can be secured to the unit component 102 with integrated locking components, such as spring-loaded retainers or other parts that releasably couple the second lobes 126 to the unit component 102. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the ends 136 of the fasteners 134—for example, bolts—can be housed in the second grooves 138 formed in the unit component 102. The fasteners 134 extend through openings formed in the second lobes 126. The grooves 138 extend longitudinally along the unit component 102. The second grooves 138 house and retain the fasteners 134 and the second lobes 126 while providing sliding movement along the unit component 102. The position of the second lobes 126 with respect to the unit component 102 is secured when the fasteners 134 are fixed within the second grooves 138; for example, by tightening a nut on a bolt. In some implementations, unit component 102 is manufactured by extrusion. In some implementations, unit component 102 is made of aluminum. In some cases, unit component 102 is an aluminum extrusion. However, in other implementations, other types of materials or manufacturing processes may be used. For example, in some cases, other materials such as magnesium, steel, iron, polymers, or composites are used to form unit component 102. Additionally, in some instances, unit component 102 is manufactured using machining techniques, such as electrical discharge machining, waterjet cutting, or plasma cutting. Still in other implementations, unit components 102 are manufactured from two or more components that are permanently joined together. 1910438 of 17 using, for example, an adhesive or welding. The unit component 102 includes cavities 142. The first meshes 143 are defined between the cavities 142 and the central passage 120. The cavities 142 have an elongated, curvilinear shape. This causes the thickness of the first meshes 143 to vary. The second meshes 144, formed between the central passage 120 and the second grooves 138, have a uniform thickness T. A cross-sectional arrangement as shown in Figure 3 facilitates manufacturing, such as during extrusion, and reduces the mass of the unit component 102. Another example of unit component 800 is shown in Figure 8. Unit component 800 can be used in place of unit component 102 in roller assembly 100. As shown in the cross-sectional view of Figure 8, unit component 800 includes a center portion 801, hollow lobes 802 extending from the center portion 801, cavities 804 and 806, and a center passage 808. Meshes 810 are formed extending longitudinally between cavities 804 and the center passage 808 and between the second longitudinally extending grooves 812. Similar to the second slots 138, the second slots 812 are used to attach the second lobes, similar to the second lobes 126, to the unit component 800. In some implementations, the meshes 810 have a common thickness T. In some implementations, the thickness T of the meshes 810 is uniform. In other implementations, the thickness T is not uniform.In other implementations, one or more 810 meshes have a uniform thickness that is different from the thickness of one or more 810 meshes. In some implementations, the thickness T of one or more 810 meshes varies. 1910438 of 17 In the illustrated example, cavities 804 and the second grooves 812 are arranged to provide the common thickness T of the meshes 810. Furthermore, a generally triangular arrangement of the meshes 810, as shown in Figure 8, provides greater rigidity to the unit component 800. In some cases, forming the unit component with meshes 810 of common thickness further facilitates extrusion manufacturing. In other implementations, one or more of cavities 804 and 806 may be omitted. Cavities 804 and the common thickness T of the meshes 810 reduce the mass of the unit component 800. Consequently, the amount of energy required to operate a roller assembly that includes the unit component 800 is decreased. Cavities 806 have circular cross-sectional shapes. Cavities 806 are similarly provided to reduce the mass of the unit component 800.Interstices 814, similar to interstices 132 of unit component 102, are formed between adjacent lobes 802 and are configured to accommodate separable lobes that may be similar to the second lobes 126, described above. As explained, the bushings 112 are housed on the shaft 108 and are located adjacent to the opposite ends 114 of the unit component 102. The bushings 112 act as barriers to protect the bearings—located toward the outer ends of the shaft 108—from debris. In some implementations, the bushings 112 abut the ends 114 of the unit component 102. Figures 4-6 show another example of the roller assembly 400. Figure 4 is an oblique view of the roller assembly 400. The roller assembly 400 includes a unitary component 402 comprising a central part 403, 1910438 of 17 a plurality of lobes 406 arranged radially and integrally formed in the central part 403, and a plurality of grooves 404 defined between the adjacent lobes 406, as shown in Figure 6. The grooves 404 define a conical cross-sectional shape. In the illustrated example, the lobes 406 define a conical cross-sectional shape and are hollow, which reduces the overall mass of the unit component 402 and, consequently, the roller assembly 400. In the illustrated example, the lobes 406 taper inward toward the center of the unit component 402. The grooves 404 retain the vanes 407 and brushes 408. The grooves 404 narrow outward, creating a generally triangular shape that acts to secure and retain the vanes 407 and brushes 408.In the illustrated example, there are six lobes 406 arranged radially and uniformly around a central step 410 (shown in Figure 6) formed in the central portion 403 of the unit component 402. Consequently, there are six slots 404 formed between adjacent lobes 406, also arranged radially and uniformly around a central step 410. Thus, in the illustrated example, the adjacent lobes 406 and slots 404 are offset angularly by 60°. In other implementations, a smaller or larger number of lobes 406 and slots 404 may be included. Furthermore, in some implementations, the lobes 406 and slots 404 may be arranged angularly and non-uniformly around the central step 410. The roller assembly 400 also includes bushings 411 and a shaft 412 that is housed in the center passage 410 of the unit component 402. The bushings 411 are housed on the shaft 412 and are positioned adjacent to the ends 413 of the unit component 402. In some implementations, the bushings 1910438 of 17 The bushings 411 abut the ends 413 of the unit component 402. The bushings 411 include flanges 414 extending from one end 420. The flanges 414 are divided into flange segments 416. Slots 418 are defined between adjacent flange segments 416. The flange segments 416 overlap one end of the lobes 406, and the slots 418 accommodate the ends of the vanes 407 and brushes 408, which are located in slots 404. The end 420 of the bushings 411 is positioned adjacent to the ends 413 of the unit component 402. In some implementations, the bushings 411 help retain the vanes 407 and brushes 408 in their respective slots 404 and maintain vane alignment. 407 and the brushes 408 inside the slots 404.Similar to bushings 112, bushings 411 serve to protect bearings located outside unit component 402 from debris, such as dirt and plant matter agitated during harvesting. In some implementations, bushings 411 can slide freely along shaft 412. In some implementations, the bushings 411 are held in a positional relationship with respect to the ends 413 of the unit component 402, as in a butt relationship with the ends 413 of the unit component 402. In some implementations, shaft 412 is divided into parts 422 and 424. Similar to shaft 108 described above, the first part 422 and the second part 424 are decoupled. Dividing shaft 412 into the first and second parts 422 and 424 makes maintenance of the roller assembly 400 much easier; for example, when one or more of the brushes 408 or vanes 407 need to be replaced. In some implementations, shaft 412 is coupled to the unit component 402 in a manner similar to that described above. 1910438 of 17 with respect to shaft 108 and unit component 102. For example, shaft 412 and unit component 402 can be coupled with one or more pins. In some cases, one or more pins are used to couple shaft 412 to unit component 402 in situations where shaft 412 is a single component or is divided into different parts, such as parts 422 and 424. One or more pins connect shaft 412 and unit component 402 and maintain a relative position to each other. In other implementations, shaft 412 and unit component 102 can be joined in other ways. One advantage of the roller assembly 400 is that the paddles 407 and brushes 408 can be removed from the unit component 402 by removing one or both bushings 411. When a bushing 411 is removed from the shaft 412, the paddles 407 and brushes 408 can be removed from the unit component by sliding them along the grooves 404. For example, new brushes 408 and paddles 407 are attached to the unit component 402 by sliding them into their respective grooves 404 from one end 413 of the unit component 402. In this way, it is not necessary to completely remove the roller assembly 400 from a cotton harvester. Consequently, the amount of time required to service the roller assembly 400 is shortened. With the vanes 407 and 408 housed in the respective grooves 404, the bushing 411 is reassembled onto the shaft 412 and secured to it, for example, with the pin 422. Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of unit component 402. As shown, unit component 402 includes the center passage 410 and a plurality of cavities 426 that reduce the mass of unit component 402 and, therefore, the rotational inertia of unit component 402 and the assembly 1910438 of 17 rollers 400 in general. The unit component 402 also includes a plurality of meshes 428. In some implementations, the meshes 428 have a common thickness T. The meshes 428 improve the stiffness of the unit component 402 and, therefore, the roller assembly 400. In the illustrated example, the center passage 410 has a hexagonal shape that is complementary to the hexagonal cross-sectional shape of the shaft 412. As explained above, the shaft 412 and the center passage 410 have interlocking shapes that prevent rotation of the unit component 402 about the shaft 412. In other implementations, the center passage 410 and the shaft 412 may have other interlocking cross-sectional shapes. Furthermore, in some implementations, the thickness T of the meshes 428 is uniform. In other implementations, the thickness T is not uniform. In some implementations, the unit component 402 is manufactured by extrusion. In some implementations, the unit component 402 is made of aluminum. In some cases, the unit component 402 is an aluminum extrusion. However, in other implementations, other types of materials or manufacturing processes may be used. For example, in some cases, other materials such as magnesium, steel, iron, polymers, or composites are used to form the unit component 402. Additionally, in some cases, the unit component 402 is manufactured using machining techniques, such as electrical discharge machining, waterjet cutting, or plasma cutting. Still in other implementations, the unit components 402 are manufactured from two or more components that are permanently bonded together using, for example, an adhesive or welding. Without in any way limiting the scope, interpretation, or application of the claims set forth below, a technical effect of a One of the 17 or more example implementations described herein is to provide a roller assembly for cotton harvesters that is formed from a reduced number of components. Thus, the roller assemblies within the scope of the present invention are of reduced complexity, require less manufacturing time, and consequently, have lower manufacturing costs. Another technical effect of one or more of the example implementations described herein is the reduction in time and costs involved in maintaining the roller assemblies within the scope of the present invention. A further technical effect of one or more of the example implementations described herein is a reduced labor requirement and lower costs associated with the manufacture and maintenance of the roller assemblies within the scope of the present invention. Although the preceding text describes examples of implementations of the present invention, these descriptions should not be considered limiting. Furthermore, other variations and modifications may be introduced without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention, as defined by the claims set forth below. 1910438 of 17 PIERO TESEI - 23932620529 Digitally signed by PORTALTRAM ITES - INPI Date: 2022.08.05 11:20:10 -03:00 Reason: Digitally Signed by the INPI Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina 1910438

Claims

1. A roller assembly for a cotton harvester characterized in that it comprises: a unit component including: a central portion forming a central passage; a plurality of lobes arranged radially around the central portion, wherein the plurality of lobes includes first lobes and interstices and wherein an interstice is formed between adjacent first lobes; a plurality of radially arranged first grooves formed between adjacent lobes of the plurality of lobes; a second groove formed longitudinally along the unit component; and second lobes housed in the interstices, wherein at least one of the first grooves is defined by a side of one of the first lobes and a side of one of the second lobes; a paddle or brush disposed in each of the plurality of first grooves; and a sliding fastener housed in the second groove for fixing one of the second lobes to the unit component.Fourteen claims follow.