A clamping and conveying mechanism and conveying device for a harvester

Abstract

This invention discloses a clamping and conveying mechanism and device for a harvester, comprising two cyclically operating annular units: a first annular unit and a second annular unit. Each annular unit has a first clamping section and a second clamping section extending along a straight line. The first and second clamping sections are arranged close to each other and parallel to each other. The angle between the first movable surface of the first annular unit and the second movable surface of the second annular unit is a right angle, an acute angle, or an obtuse angle. By making the two working surfaces of the two annular units constituting the clamping and conveying mechanism perpendicular or the angle between the two working surfaces acute or obtuse, the clamping and conveying mechanism of this invention can significantly reduce the lateral distance occupied by the clamping and conveying mechanism, allowing for a more compact arrangement. This is suitable for multi-row, multi-channel harvesting in situations where crops are densely arranged.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of agricultural machinery technology, and in particular to a clamping and conveying mechanism and conveying device for a harvester. Background Technology

[0002] During the harvesting process, crops need to be clamped and lifted to a high position and released into a basket. In existing technologies, crops are typically clamped and lifted using two sets of parallel conveyor belts or chains, which are coplanar, as shown in existing technologies CN110366930A and CN208897899U. The two sets of conveying units (conveyor belts or chains) constituting this clamping and conveying mechanism are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the conveying channel. Due to the limitations of the transmission component structure size, this structure has a large lateral spatial dimension. When the crop row spacing is small, the arrangement is dense, and multiple rows of crops need to be harvested simultaneously, the clamping and conveying mechanism struggles to harvest rows in a row, and it is even more difficult to arrange multiple sets of clamping and conveying mechanisms. To solve this problem, a staggered vertical arrangement is generally used, allowing each set of clamping and conveying mechanisms to overlap. This can solve the harvesting problem for taller crops, but the vertical structure is complex, the transmission components are difficult to arrange, and the manufacturing cost is high. Furthermore, for shorter crops, due to the staggered heights of the clamping and conveying mechanisms, there may be situations where the clamping position is not optimal or the crop cannot be clamped. Therefore, the use of this type of clamping and conveying mechanism in existing technologies has limitations. In addition, patent CN214852816U places the clamping and conveying mechanism vertically. Although this method can make the clamping and conveying mechanism clamp tightly, it causes excessive bending of the crops during harvesting, which can easily break the crops. Summary of the Invention

[0003] Purpose of the invention: In order to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art, the present invention provides a clamping and conveying mechanism and conveying device for a harvester that can be used for multi-row harvesting when crops are closely arranged and is not easily damaged.

[0004] Technical Solution: To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a clamping and conveying mechanism for a harvester, comprising two cyclically operating annular units, namely a first annular unit and a second annular unit, each having a first clamping section and a second clamping section extending in a straight line. The first annular unit and the second annular unit are respectively a conveyor belt or a conveyor chain. The clamping section is a strip-shaped entity located between two preset fixed points on the corresponding annular unit. As the annular unit rotates, the specific part on the annular unit corresponding to the clamping section changes dynamically. The first clamping section and the second clamping section are close to each other and arranged in parallel, that is, they are arranged in parallel. When there is no object being conveyed between them, they are close to each other.

[0005] The angle between the first movable surface corresponding to the first annular unit and the second movable surface corresponding to the second annular unit is a right angle, an acute angle, or an obtuse angle.

[0006] In practical use, multiple first guide wheels are provided in conjunction with the first annular unit, and multiple second guide wheels are provided in conjunction with the second annular unit. Generally, the first annular unit is a non-three-dimensional structure, and its overall reference lines (the lines representing the direction of the first annular unit, that is, simplifying the annular unit into a line body composed of reference lines) are all located within the first movable surface. When the first annular unit is a three-dimensional structure, at least the reference lines of the first clamping segment and its adjacent segments move within the first movable surface. Similarly, when the second annular unit is a non-three-dimensional structure, its overall reference lines are all located within the second movable surface; when the second annular unit is a three-dimensional structure, at least the reference lines of the second clamping segment and its adjacent segments move within the first movable surface.

[0007] Specifically, in actual implementation, under one working condition, the first movable surface is positioned horizontally to the left and right and diagonally forward and backward, while the second movable surface is positioned vertically. Thus, the angle between the two movable surfaces is a right angle. It is evident that with this layout, the second annular unit, besides its own width and the axial width of its corresponding transmission mechanism, does not require additional width, thereby significantly reducing the space occupied by the clamping and conveying mechanism. Under another working condition, the first movable surface is positioned horizontally to the left and right and diagonally forward and backward, and the angle between the second movable surface and the first movable surface is an acute or obtuse angle. In this case, the width space occupied by the second annular unit and its transmission structure is also very small.

[0008] In use, the linear velocities of the first and second annular units are equal, and both the first and second annular units are tilted forward and backward. The crop stalks, stems, leaves, and other conveyed objects enter the clamping channel between the first and second clamping sections. The two clamping sections clamp the conveyed objects and move them, lifting them from a low position to a high position.

[0009] Furthermore, in the first clamping section and the second clamping section, the top surface of one of them is in contact with or parallel to the side surface of the other, and the two are called clamping surfaces. Preferably, the clamping surfaces are arranged vertically, so as to minimize damage to the crop when the crop enters the conveying channel between the two clamping surfaces.

[0010] Furthermore, when there is no object being transported between the first clamping section and the second clamping section, the two sections are in contact with each other under the action of the elastic track or tension wheel, maintaining a certain clamping force.

[0011] Furthermore, a gap is formed between the first clamping section and the second clamping section, and the width of the gap is smaller than the reference dimension of the conveyed object. Here, the reference dimension is derived based on the outer diameter of the conveyed object and statistical analysis of the working conditions. When the conveyed objects enter the clamping and conveying mechanism in a basically single-piece, sequential manner, the reference dimension is calculated based on the dimension of the clamped position of each individual conveyed object. When the conveyed objects enter the clamping and conveying mechanism in a clustered state, the reference width is calculated based on the overall width of the conveyed objects after being compressed in the clustered state.

[0012] Using the above two schemes, after the object to be conveyed enters the clamping and conveying mechanism, the first clamping section and the second clamping section can generate a clamping force on the object to be conveyed, so as to move the object to be conveyed to the target position, where a material box is generally set up to receive the object to be conveyed.

[0013] Furthermore, at least one of the first annular unit and the second annular unit has an inclined surface, such that at least one of the two clamping surfaces corresponding to the first clamping section and the second clamping section is an inclined surface. As one implementation, the top surfaces of the first annular unit and the second annular unit are respectively a first inclined surface and a second inclined surface; when no material is being conveyed between the first and second clamping sections, the first inclined surface at the first clamping section and the second inclined surface at the second clamping section are either abutting or parallel to each other. With this scheme, after the conveyed object enters the clamping and conveying mechanism, there is surface contact between the conveyed object and the annular unit, ensuring clamping force and conveying stability. Taking the first annular unit as an example, the first annular unit can be a hollow structure, so that multiple support parts are formed between the body part of the first annular unit that cooperates with the first guide wheel and the first inclined surface, thus improving the flexibility of the first inclined surface and ensuring the clamping effect. The second annular unit can adopt the same structure as the first annular unit, which will not be elaborated here.

[0014] Furthermore, there are multiple first and second annular units, and they are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence to form multiple sets of clamping and conveying components. Each set of clamping and conveying components has a clamping channel located between the first clamping section and the second clamping section. The movable surfaces corresponding to the same type of annular unit are parallel to each other, and the centerlines of the clamping channels of different sets are coplanar. Using this scheme, point-to-point clamping of the conveyed object can be formed, improving the clamping force and conveying stability.

[0015] Furthermore, both the first annular unit and the second annular unit are configured with a lower front and a higher rear.

[0016] Furthermore, the first movable surface corresponding to the first annular unit is in a horizontal position on the left and right and an oblique position on the front and back, while the second movable surface is in a vertical position.

[0017] A conveying device for a harvester includes multiple sets of clamping and conveying mechanisms as described above, all of which are arranged in a left-right direction. The left-right direction is determined with reference to the forward direction of the harvester.

[0018] Furthermore, the number of clamping and conveying mechanisms is even, and they are arranged in pairs; the two clamping and conveying mechanisms in the same group are installed in a mirror image, and the second annular units are close to each other, that is, in the two clamping and conveying mechanisms in the same group, the two second annular units are located between the two first annular units. This arrangement is suitable for harvesting when every two rows are planted and the row spacing between the two rows is very close.

[0019] Furthermore, all the clamping and conveying mechanisms are arranged in a linear array with the same orientation. This arrangement is suitable for situations where multiple rows of crops with small row spacing are harvested simultaneously.

[0020] Beneficial effects: The clamping and conveying mechanism and conveying device for harvesters of the present invention can significantly reduce the lateral distance occupied by the clamping and conveying mechanism by making the working surfaces of the two annular units constituting the clamping and conveying mechanism perpendicular or the included angle between the two working surfaces acute or obtuse. This allows the clamping and conveying mechanism to be arranged more closely, which is suitable for multi-row harvesting when crops are arranged closely. Attached Figure Description

[0021] Figure 1 This is a structural diagram of the clamping and conveying mechanism in the first embodiment;

[0022] Figure 2 This is a structural diagram of the first clamping and conveying mechanism in the second embodiment;

[0023] Figure 3 This is a structural diagram of the second clamping and conveying mechanism in the second embodiment;

[0024] Figure 4 This is a structural diagram of the third clamping and conveying mechanism in the second embodiment;

[0025] Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional view of the clamping and conveying mechanism in the third embodiment;

[0026] Figure 6 This is a structural diagram of the first ring unit in the third embodiment;

[0027] Figure 7 This is a layout diagram of the clamping and conveying mechanism in the fourth embodiment;

[0028] Figure 8 This is a layout diagram of the conveying device in one embodiment;

[0029] Figure 9 This is a layout diagram of the conveying device in one embodiment.

[0030] In the figure: A - clamping and conveying mechanism; 1 - first annular unit; 11 - first clamping section; 1a - first inclined surface; 1b - main body; 1c - support part; a - first movable surface; 2 - second annular unit; 21 - second clamping section; 2a - second inclined surface; b - second movable surface; 3 - first guide wheel; 4 - second guide wheel; c - ideal conveying surface; d - horizontal plane. Detailed Implementation

[0031] The invention will now be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0032] like Figure 1 The harvester clamping and conveying mechanism A shown includes two types of cyclically operating annular units, namely a first annular unit 1 and a second annular unit 2. Each has a first clamping section 11 and a second clamping section 21 extending in a straight line. The first annular unit 1 and the second annular unit 2 are conveyor belts or conveyor chains, respectively. The clamping section is a strip-shaped entity located between two preset fixed points on the corresponding annular unit. As the annular unit rotates, the specific part on the annular unit corresponding to the clamping section changes dynamically. The first clamping section 11 and the second clamping section 21 are close to each other and arranged in parallel, that is, they are arranged in parallel.

[0033] The included angle between the first movable surface a corresponding to the first annular unit 1 and the second movable surface b corresponding to the second annular unit 2 is a right angle, an acute angle, or an obtuse angle.

[0034] In practical use, multiple first guide wheels 3 are provided in conjunction with the first annular unit 1, and multiple second guide wheels 4 are provided in conjunction with the second annular unit 2. Generally, the first annular unit 1 is a non-three-dimensional structure, and its overall reference line (the line representing the direction of the first annular unit 1, that is, simplifying the annular unit into a line body composed of reference lines) is located within the first movable surface a. When the first annular unit 1 is a three-dimensional structure, at least the reference lines of the first clamping segment 11 and its adjacent segments move within the first movable surface a. Similarly, when the second annular unit 2 is a non-three-dimensional structure, its overall reference line is located within the second movable surface b. When the second annular unit 2 is a three-dimensional structure, at least the reference lines of the second clamping segment 21 and its adjacent segments move within the second movable surface b. Ideally, the object being clamped and conveyed moves within the ideal conveying surface c.

[0035] The following are some specific examples for detailed explanation:

[0036] Example 1

[0037] In this embodiment, as Figure 1As shown, in one operating condition, compared to the horizontal plane d, the first movable surface a is horizontally positioned left and right and obliquely positioned front and back, while the second movable surface b is vertically positioned. Thus, the angle between the two movable surfaces is a right angle. It can be seen that with this layout, the second annular unit 2, besides its own width and the axial width of its corresponding transmission mechanism, does not need to occupy additional width, thus significantly reducing the space occupied by the clamping and conveying mechanism. In another operating condition, the first movable surface a is horizontally positioned left and right and obliquely positioned front and back, and the angle between the second movable surface b and the first movable surface a is an acute angle. Thus, the width space occupied by the second annular unit 2 and its transmission structure is also very small.

[0038] In use, the linear velocities of the first annular unit 1 and the second annular unit 2 are equal, and both the first annular unit 1 and the second annular unit 2 are tilted forward and backward. The crop stalks, stems and leaves, and other conveyed objects enter the clamping channel between the first clamping section 11 and the second clamping section 21. The two clamping sections clamp the conveyed objects and move them, lifting the conveyed objects from a low position to a high position.

[0039] In one embodiment, when there is no object being transported between the first clamping section 11 and the second clamping section 21, the two sections come into contact with each other under the action of an elastic track or tension wheel (as shown in the prior art such as patent CN110366930A).

[0040] In another embodiment, a gap is formed between the first clamping section 11 and the second clamping section 21, and the width of the gap is smaller than the reference dimension of the conveyed object. Here, the reference dimension is derived based on the outer diameter of the conveyed object and the working conditions. When the conveyed objects enter the clamping and conveying mechanism in a basically single-piece sequential manner, the reference dimension is calculated based on the dimension of the clamped position of each individual conveyed object. When the conveyed objects enter the clamping and conveying mechanism in a clustered state, the reference width is calculated based on the overall width of the conveyed objects after being compressed in the clustered state.

[0041] Using the above two schemes, after the object to be conveyed enters the clamping and conveying mechanism, the first clamping section 11 and the second clamping section 21 exert a clamping force on the object to be conveyed under the action of the elastic track or tension wheel, so as to move the object to be conveyed to the target position, where a material box is generally set up to receive the object to be conveyed.

[0042] Example 2

[0043] Based on the first embodiment, such as Figure 2As shown in this application, the top surface of one of the first clamping section 11 and the second clamping section 21 is in contact with or parallel to the side surface of the other, and the two are called clamping surfaces. Preferably, the clamping surfaces are arranged vertically, so that when the crop enters the conveying channel between the two clamping surfaces, damage to the crop is minimized.

[0044] like Figure 2 As shown, this is the case where the first movable surface a is perpendicular to the second movable surface b.

[0045] When the first movable surface a and the second movable surface b are acute or obtuse angles, at least one of the top surface and the side surface on the two clamping sections that serve as clamping surfaces is an inclined surface. Here, the inclined surface is relative to the movable surface corresponding to the annular unit to which it is located. Figure 3 and Figure 4 The examples show cases where the top surface of the clamping surface is an inclined surface and cases where the side surface of the clamping surface is an inclined surface. Both of these cases should be considered to fall within the protection scope of this invention.

[0046] Example 3

[0047] Based on the first embodiment, in this embodiment, the top surfaces of the first clamping segment 11 and the second clamping segment 21 are used as clamping surfaces, and at least one of the first annular unit 1 and the second annular unit 2 has an inclined surface, such that at least one of the two clamping surfaces corresponding to the first clamping segment 11 and the second clamping segment 21 is an inclined surface.

[0048] like Figure 5 In the illustrated embodiment, the first annular unit 1 and the second annular unit 2 each have a first inclined surface 1a and a second inclined surface 2a. When no material is being conveyed between the first clamping section 11 and the second clamping section 21, the first inclined surface 1a located at the first clamping section 11 and the second inclined surface 2a located at the second clamping section 21 are either abutting each other or parallel to each other. With this design, after the conveying object enters the clamping and conveying mechanism, there is surface contact between the conveying object and the annular unit, ensuring clamping force and conveying stability. Figure 6 As shown, taking the first annular unit 1 as an example, the first annular unit 1 can be a hollow structure, so that multiple support parts 1c are formed between the body part 1b that cooperates with the first guide wheel 3 and the first inclined surface 1a. This can improve the flexibility of the first inclined surface 1a and ensure the clamping effect. The second annular unit 2 can adopt the same structure as the first annular unit 1, which will not be described in detail here.

[0049] Example 4

[0050] Based on Example 1, such as Figure 7As shown, there are multiple first annular units 1 and multiple second annular units 2, and they are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence to form multiple sets of clamping and conveying components. Each set of clamping and conveying components has a clamping channel located between the first clamping section 11 and the second clamping section 21. The movable surfaces corresponding to the same type of annular unit are parallel to each other, and the centerlines of the clamping channels of different sets are coplanar. The common plane is the ideal conveying surface c. The ideal conveying surface c can be at the same angle as the first movable surface a and the second movable surface b, or it can be in a specific posture (such as a vertical state). Using this scheme, point-to-point clamping can be formed on the conveyed object, improving the clamping force and conveying stability.

[0051] The present invention also provides a conveying device for a harvester, comprising multiple sets of clamping and conveying mechanisms A as described above, all of which are arranged in a left-right direction. The left-right direction is determined with reference to the forward direction of the harvester.

[0052] In one embodiment, such as Figure 8 As shown, the number of clamping and conveying mechanisms A is even, and they are arranged in pairs; the two clamping and conveying mechanisms A in the same group are installed in a mirror image, and the second annular units 2 are close to each other, that is, in the two clamping and conveying mechanisms A in the same group, the two second annular units 2 are located between the two first annular units 1. This arrangement is suitable for harvesting when every two rows are planted and the row spacing between the two rows is very close.

[0053] In another embodiment, such as Figure 9 As shown, all the clamping and conveying mechanisms A are arranged in a linear array with the same orientation. This arrangement is suitable for simultaneous multi-row harvesting of crops with small row spacing.

[0054] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention. It should be noted that for those skilled in the art, several improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the principle of the present invention, and these improvements and modifications should also be considered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A clamping and conveying mechanism for a harvester, comprising two cyclically operating annular units, namely a first annular unit (1) and a second annular unit (2), each having a first clamping section (11) and a second clamping section (21) extending in a straight line; the first clamping section (11) and the second clamping section (21) are close to each other and arranged in parallel; characterized in that: The included angle between the first movable surface (a) corresponding to the first annular unit (1) and the second movable surface (b) corresponding to the second annular unit (2) is a right angle, an acute angle, or an obtuse angle. At least one of the first ring unit (1) and the second ring unit (2) has an inclined surface, such that at least one of the two clamping surfaces corresponding to the first clamping segment (11) and the second clamping segment (21) is an inclined surface.

2. The clamping and conveying mechanism for a harvester according to claim 1, characterized in that, When there is no object being transported between the first clamping section (11) and the second clamping section (21), the two are in contact with each other or there is a gap between them.

3. The clamping and conveying mechanism for a harvester according to claim 2, characterized in that, Of the first clamping segment (11) and the second clamping segment (21), the top surface of one is in contact with or parallel to the side surface of the other.

4. The clamping and conveying mechanism for a harvester according to claim 1, characterized in that, There are multiple first ring units (1) and multiple second ring units (2), and they are set in a one-to-one correspondence.

5. The clamping and conveying mechanism for a harvester according to claim 1, characterized in that, Both the first ring unit (1) and the second ring unit (2) are configured with a lower front and a higher rear.

6. The clamping and conveying mechanism for a harvester according to claim 4, characterized in that, The first movable surface (a) corresponding to the first annular unit (1) is in a horizontal position on the left and right and an oblique position on the front and back, and the second movable surface (b) is in a vertical position.

7. A conveying device for a harvester, characterized in that, It includes multiple sets of clamping and conveying mechanisms (A) as described in any one of claims 1-6, all of which are arranged in the left-right direction.

8. The conveying device for a harvester according to claim 7, characterized in that, The number of clamping and conveying mechanisms (A) is even, and they are arranged in pairs; the two clamping and conveying mechanisms (A) in the same group are installed in a mirror image of each other.

9. The conveying device for a harvester according to claim 7, characterized in that, All of the clamping and conveying mechanisms (A) are arranged in a linear array with the same orientation.

Images