Chaff disc device for combine harvester

Abstract

The present invention provides a combine harvester comprising a cleaning system (26) comprising an upper screen (48) and a lower screen (50) for separating husks from cleaned grains, the upper screen (48) and the lower screen (50) being arranged to vibrate back and forth. The combine further comprises a residue spreader (74) arranged to receive the separated husk from the cleaning system (26) and to spread it onto the field. The combine further comprises a husk tray (120) mechanically mounted on the upper screen (48) so as to vibrate back and forth therewith, downstream of the upper screen (48) and upstream of the residue dispenser (74) for conveying separated husk from the upper screen (48) to the residue dispenser (74); and a husk tray side rocking system arranged to vibrate the husk tray in a lateral manner.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a combine harvester, the combine harvester comprising a cleaning system and a residue spreader. The cleaning system comprises at least one cleaning screen for separating chaff from cleaned grains and is arranged to vibrate back and forth. The residue spreader is arranged to receive the separated chaff from the at least one cleaning screen and spread the separated chaff on a field. Background Art

[0002] Modern agricultural harvesters are complex machines with many structural and functional components arranged to perform a variety of different functions associated with the harvesting of a particular crop or crop type. For example, a combine harvester is equipped with multiple functional units for harvesting and processing grain and grain-like cereals. The main functions of a combine harvester include cutting and collecting the crop, threshing the grain from the stalks in the threshing section, separating the chaff from the grain in the cleaning section, and releasing straw and chaff residues from the harvester.

[0003] The cleaning section usually includes a grain pan that receives a mixture of threshed grain, chaff and other non-grain small materials (MOG) from the threshing section. This mixture is conveyed from the grain pan to a set of sieves, including an upper sieve and a lower sieve, through which the grain falls, while the chaff and other MOG are conveyed backwards. The chaff residue can then be spread behind the combine harvester through two dedicated chaff spreaders, or mixed with straw residue to be spread on the field together with the straw residue.

[0004] To ensure that the chaff is delivered to the residue spreader and not directly onto the field behind the cleaning screen, a chaff pan can be provided between the cleaning screen and the residue spreader for conveying the separated chaff from the cleaning system to the residue spreader. Ideally, the chaff should be spread continuously and evenly across the full width of the header of the combine harvester. However, an inconsistent travel of the chaff over the chaff pan may result in undesirable variations in the amount of chaff that enters the residue spreader and is spread onto the field. Furthermore, during the harvesting process, the left and right residue spreaders may not always receive equal amounts of chaff residue. For example, lateral inclination of the field, asymmetric delivery of grain and chaff from the threshing section to the cleaning section, or asymmetric crop intake of the header of the combine harvester may result in an uneven lateral distribution of chaff residue on the field.

[0005] The object of the invention is to improve the lateral distribution of chaff residues behind a combine harvester. Summary of the invention

[0006] According to aspects of the present invention, there is provided a combine harvester, comprising a cleaning system, a residue spreader, a chaff pan, and a chaff pan side-rocking system. The cleaning system comprises an upper screen and a lower screen for separating chaff from cleaned grains and is configured to vibrate back and forth. The residue spreader is configured to receive separated chaff from the cleaning system and spread the separated chaff on a field. The chaff pan is mechanically mounted on the upper screen to vibrate back and forth therewith, is located downstream of the upper screen and upstream of the residue spreader, and is configured to convey the separated chaff from the upper screen to the residue spreader. The chaff pan side-rocking system is configured to vibrate the chaff pan sideways.

[0007] The combination of mounting the chaff pan on the upper screen and vibrating the chaff pan in multiple directions results in reliable and consistent delivery of chaff residue to the residue spreader. In current combine harvesters, the chaff pan is usually mounted on the lower screen to receive chaff that falls from both screens. However, the inventors have found that mounting the chaff pan on the upper screen facilitates the delivery of chaff to the residue spreader by increasing the inclination of the chaff pan. When combined with the back-and-forth vibration of the chaff pan, a consistent flow of chaff to the spreader is thus ensured.

[0008] Furthermore, the lateral vibration of the chaff pan causes a redistribution of the chaff as it slides from the cleaning system to the residue spreader. Thus, the asymmetric chaff distribution on the chaff pan is corrected before the chaff reaches the residue spreader, thereby ensuring an even distribution of the chaff on the field behind the combine harvester. It should be noted that side-rocking systems have previously been used to move the upper screen sideways in order to facilitate efficient operation of the cleaning system and thereby increase its maximum capacity. Examples of such side-rocking systems can be found, for example, in EP 3132 670 A1. However, side-rocking is usually applied only to the upper screen. Sometimes, side-rocking is also applied to the grain pan. The lower screen, to which the chaff pan is usually mounted, usually vibrates only in the front-to-back direction.

[0009] In one embodiment, the chaff tray side rocking system is configured to cause the upper screen and the chaff tray to vibrate laterally together. When the upper screen has been equipped with a side rocking system, it is a low-cost and effective way to let the chaff tray follow the upper screen to vibrate laterally, and also provide the chaff tray with lateral reciprocating motion. This combined vibration can be achieved, for example, by directly mounting the chaff tray on the rear end of the upper screen or by hinges.

[0010] Additionally or alternatively, the chaff pan side rocking system may be arranged to vibrate the chaff pan independently of the upper screen. By allowing the chaff pan to reciprocate laterally relative to the upper screen to which it is mounted, the lateral distribution of residual chaff on the chaff pan may be controlled in a combine harvester without an upper screen side rocking system. In a combine harvester with an upper screen side rocking system, independent control of the lateral vibration of the chaff pan may optimize the distribution of chaff and grain on the upper screen and the distribution of residual chaff on the chaff pan without compromising between the respective optimum settings.

[0011] In some embodiments, the chaff tray side rocking system may include a chaff tray side rocking actuator and a mechanical connector, connecting the chaff tray side rocking actuator to the chaff tray, wherein the mechanical connector is mounted in the center portion of the chaff tray. "Mounted in the center portion" may be defined as overlapping or close to the center line of the chaff tray, and located in the middle between its two side ends. Alternatively, "mounted in the center portion" may be defined as outside the left and right 25% of the total width of the chaff tray. By driving the lateral oscillation from the center of the chaff tray, the balance and dynamics of the chaff tray may be improved, and wear may be reduced.

[0012] Preferably, the chaff tray side rocking actuator and / or the mechanical connection are at least partially mounted below the chaff tray. The implementation of such a chaff tray side rocking system allows a space-saving configuration without the need to mount any side rocking arms on the chaff tray or the outer frame of the upper screen. Mounting the chaff tray side rocking actuator and the mechanical connection below the chaff tray also allows to drive lateral oscillations from the center of the chaff tray, thereby further improving balance and reducing wear.

[0013] Preferably, the combine harvester further comprises a distribution sensor for determining an input signal representative of the lateral distribution of the separated chaff on the chaff pan and a control unit operatively connected to the distribution sensor to receive the input signal therefrom and configured to control the operation of the chaff pan side oscillation system according to the input signal. By measuring the lateral distribution of the separated chaff on the chaff pan, the lateral oscillation of the chaff pan can be adjusted so that any unevenness in this lateral distribution is immediately corrected by adjusting the lateral oscillation.

[0014] For example, the control unit may be configured to adjust the frequency, phase and / or amplitude of the lateral oscillation of the chaff tray. In a particular embodiment, the control unit may be configured to adjust the operation of the chaff tray lateral oscillation system such that the speed of lateral movement in one direction is different from the speed of lateral movement in the opposite direction. Such a method of controlling the nature and intensity of the lateral movement provides the system with advanced possibilities to control the dynamics of the chaff residue on the chaff tray and the resulting lateral distribution of the chaff on the chaff tray.

[0015] The distribution sensor may for example comprise at least one of the following: an image sensor for capturing an image of the upper surface of the chaff tray, a plurality of pressure sensors arranged at different lateral positions of the upper screen, a plurality of layer thickness sensors arranged at different lateral positions of the chaff tray, or a radar sensor, an ultrasonic sensor or an image sensor for monitoring the chaff distribution downstream of the residue spreader. Other types of sensors may also be used for the same purpose. For example, a plurality of weight sensors may be installed below the chaff tray. Although such weight sensors may not provide a detailed view of the lateral distribution of chaff on the chaff tray, they may be used to determine a left-right weight balance, indicating an asymmetry of this distribution that may need to be corrected.

[0016] The combine harvester may further include a tilt sensor for determining a lateral tilt of the combine harvester relative to a horizontal reference plane, the control unit being operatively connected to the tilt sensor and configured to control the operation of the chaff pan side-sway system based on the lateral tilt. Although the tilt sensor does not provide direct information about the distribution of chaff residue on the chaff pan, an uneven distribution of chaff residue is often caused by the combine harvester traveling on a field with a lateral tilt. Therefore, the tilt sensor may provide a useful prediction or estimate of the actual chaff distribution on the chaff pan, thereby allowing the chaff pan side-sway system to be controlled to more evenly distribute the chaff. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0018] Figure 1 A combine harvester in which the present invention may be advantageously used is schematically shown;

[0019] Figure 2 showing a side view of a portion of a combine harvester including a chaff pan; and

[0020] Figure 3 An example of a drive system for a chaff pan pan system is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] Figure 1 The combine harvester 10 is schematically shown. The combine harvester 10 generally includes front and rear round ground engaging wheels 14, 16, a header 18, a feeder 20, an operator cab 22, a threshing and separating system 24, a cleaning system 26, a grain bin 28 and a grain discharge pipe 30.

[0022] The header 18 is mounted on the front of the combine harvester 10 and includes a cutting bar 34 for cutting crops from the field as the combine harvester moves forward. The rotatable reel 36 feeds the crops into the header 18, and the double auger 38 feeds the cut crops laterally from both sides into the feeder 20. The feeder 20 delivers the cut crops to the threshing and separation system 24.

[0023] The threshing and separation system 24 is of the axial flow type and includes a threshing rotor 40 that is at least partially located and rotatable within a threshing concave 42. The threshing concave may be in the form of a perforated concave. Grain is threshed from the cut crop and separated from non-grain material (MOG) by the action of the threshing rotor 40 within the threshing concave 42. Larger MOG elements, such as stems and leaves, do not pass through the holes in the threshing concave 42 and are discharged from the rear of the combine harvester 10.

[0024] The release of the straw residue behind the combine harvester 10 can be accomplished by throwing the straw in the swath onto the field, for example, to be picked up later by a baler. However, typically, the straw residue is chopped into smaller pieces by the chopper 72 and spread on the field over the full width of the header 18 by a spreading system 74. The spreading system 74 typically includes left-hand and right-hand spreaders, each of which spreads the chopped crop residue received from the chopper 72 laterally and away from the combine harvester 10. The chaff and other small MOGs from the cleaning system 26 can be discarded on the field, spread on the field by a separate chaff spreader (not shown), or mixed with the straw residue to be spread together by the spreading system 74. The straw, chaff and other MOGs spread on the field serve as fertilizer for the soil.

[0025] Grains and smaller MOG elements such as husks, dust and straw (hereinafter referred to as small MOG) are small enough to pass through the holes in the threshing concave plate 42. Grains and small MOG that successfully pass through the threshing and separation system 24 fall onto the preparation plate 44 and are transported to the cleaning system 26. The cleaning system includes a series of screens and cleaning fans 52. These screens include a pre-cleaning screen 46, an upper screen (or screener) 48 and a lower screen (or shoe screen) 50. The airflow generated by the cleaning fan 52 passes through the screens 46, 48, 50, acting on the grains and small MOG thereon. Small MOG is usually lighter than grains, so it is separated from the grains under the action of the airflow. Subsequently, the small MOG is discharged from the combine harvester 10 through the straw cover 54.

[0026] The preparation tray 44 and the pre-cleaning screen 46 vibrate in a back-and-forth manner, conveying the grains and small MOGs to the upper surface of the upper screen 48. The upper screen 48 is arranged vertically above the lower screen 50 and also vibrates in a back-and-forth manner, spreading the grains and small MOGs on the two screens 48, 50, while allowing the cleaned grains to pass through the openings in the screens 48, 50 under the action of gravity.

[0027] The clean grain falls onto a clean grain auger 56 located below and in front of the lower screen 50 and across the width of the combine harvester 10. The clean grain auger 56 transports the clean grain laterally to a vertical grain elevator 60, which delivers the clean grain to the grain bin 28. A yield sensor 96 may be mounted in or near the grain elevator 60 to monitor the volume of clean grain delivered to the grain bin 28. Once in the grain bin 28, a grain bin auger 68 at the bottom of the grain bin transports the clean grain laterally within the grain bin 28 to the discharge pipe 30 for discharge from the combine harvester 10.

[0028] Figure 2A side view of a portion of a combine harvester 10 including a chaff pan 120 is shown. The chaff pan 120 is mechanically mounted on the upper screen 48 by an articulated frame 122. In this figure, the chaff pan 120 is shown in its operative position, in which it can convey the separated chaff from the upper screen 48 to the residue spreader 74. The articulated frame 122 allows the chaff pan 120 to be folded into a service position when not in use. Side walls 124 may be provided at the side ends of the chaff pan 120 to help convey the residue chaff to the residue spreader 174. Due to the direct connection to the upper screen 48, the chaff pan 120, when in use, vibrates in a back-and-forth manner with the screen 48. The direction of this reciprocating motion is indicated by arrow 200 in the figure. The inclination of the chaff pan 120, its reciprocating motion, and the push of the new residue chaff from the upper screen 48 together promote the conveying of the residue chaff on the chaff pan 120 toward the residue spreader 74.

[0029] According to the present invention, the combine harvester 10 also includes a chaff tray side-sway system for vibrating the chaff tray 120 in a lateral manner in addition to the reciprocating motion in the front-rear direction 200. This side-sway can be achieved in a variety of different ways. For example, the side-sway of the chaff tray 120 can be directly caused by the side-sway of the upper screen 48 installed thereon. The side-sway system of the upper cleaning screen 48 was previously used to promote the efficient operation of the cleaning system 26 and increase its maximum capacity. For example, such a side-sway system can be found in EP 3 132670 A1. When such an upper screen side-sway system is installed, the upper screen 48 and the chaff tray 120 vibrate in a lateral manner together. It is a low-cost and effective way to let the chaff tray 120 follow the lateral vibration of the upper screen 48, which also provides lateral reciprocating motion for the chaff tray 120.

[0030] Additionally or alternatively, the chaff pan side rocking system may be arranged to vibrate the chaff pan 120 independently of the upper screen 48. By allowing the chaff pan 120 to reciprocate laterally relative to the upper screen 48 to which it is mounted, the lateral distribution of residual chaff on the chaff pan 120 in a combine harvester 10 without a side rocking system for the upper screen 48 may be controlled. In a combine harvester 10 with a side rocking system for the upper screen 48, independent control of the lateral vibration of the chaff pan 120 may allow simultaneous optimization of the chaff and grain distribution on the upper screen 48 and the residual chaff distribution on the chaff pan 120 without having to find a compromise between the optimal settings for each. Independent chaff pan side rocking may be achieved by an electric, pneumatic or hydraulic actuator 310 connected between the chaff pan support frame 122 and the chaff pan 120 itself.

[0031] The combination of mounting the chaff pan 120 to the upper screen 48 and the multi-directional vibration of the chaff pan 120 results in reliable and consistent delivery of chaff residue to the residue spreader 74. In the prior art combine harvester 10, the chaff pan 120 is typically mounted on the lower screen 50 so that it can receive chaff that falls from both screens 48, 50. However, the inventors have discovered that mounting the chaff pan 120 to the upper screen 48 facilitates the delivery of chaff to the residue spreader 74 by increasing the inclination of the chaff pan 120. When combined with the fore-and-aft vibration of the chaff pan 120, a consistent flow of chaff to the spreader 74 is ensured. In addition, the lateral vibration of the chaff pan 120 causes a redistribution of the chaff as it slides from the cleaning system 26 to the residue spreader 74. Thus, the asymmetric chaff distribution on the chaff pan 120 is corrected before the chaff reaches the residue spreader 74, thereby ensuring that the chaff is evenly distributed on the field behind the combine harvester 10.

[0032] Figure 3 An example of a drive system for a chaff tray side-shaking system is shown. The drive system includes a chaff tray side-shaking actuator 310 and a mechanical connector 320, which connects the chaff tray side-shaking actuator 310 to the chaff tray 120. In this embodiment, the mechanical connector 320 is installed in the central portion of the chaff tray 120. "Installed in the central portion" can be defined as overlapping or close to the centerline of the chaff tray 120, located in the middle position between its two lateral ends. Alternatively, "installed in the central portion" can be defined as outside the left and right 25% of the total width of the chaff tray 120. By driving the lateral vibration from the center of the chaff tray 120, the balance and dynamics of the chaff tray 120 are improved, and wear is reduced. In other embodiments, the mechanical connector 320 can be installed in a position close to one of the lateral ends of the chaff tray 120. Alternatively, two mechanical connectors 320 can be used, both of which are connected to the chaff tray side-shaking actuator 310 and are respectively connected to different lateral ends of the chaff tray 120.

[0033] Preferably, the chaff tray rocking actuator 310 and / or the mechanical connector 320 are at least partially mounted below the chaff tray 120. Such an embodiment of the chaff tray rocking system allows for a space-saving configuration without the need to mount any rocking arms on the chaff tray 122 or the outer frame 122 of the upper screen 48. Mounting the chaff tray rocking actuator 310 and the mechanical connector 320 below the chaff tray 120 also makes it easier to drive lateral vibration from the center of the chaff tray 120, thereby further improving balance and reducing wear.

[0034] Preferably, the combine harvester 10 further comprises one or more distribution sensors 340 for determining an input signal representing the lateral distribution of the separated chaff on the chaff pan 120 and a control unit 350, the distribution sensor being used to determine an input signal representing the lateral distribution of the separated chaff on the chaff pan 120, the control unit being operatively connected to the distribution sensor 340 to receive its input signal and configured to control the operation of the chaff pan side shaking system according to the input signal. By measuring the lateral distribution of the separated chaff on the chaff pan 120, the lateral vibration of the chaff pan 120 can be adjusted so that any unevenness in such lateral distribution can be immediately corrected by adjusting the lateral vibration.

[0035] For example, the control unit 350 can be configured to adjust the frequency, phase and / or amplitude of the lateral vibration of the chaff tray 120. In a particular embodiment, the control unit 350 can be configured to adjust the operation of the chaff tray lateral shaking system so that the speed of the lateral movement in one direction is different from the speed of the lateral movement in the opposite direction. Such a way of controlling the nature and intensity of the lateral movement provides the system with advanced possibilities to control the dynamics of the chaff residue on the chaff tray 120 and the resulting lateral distribution of the chaff on the chaff tray 120.

[0036] The distribution sensor 340 may, for example, include at least one of the following: an image sensor for capturing an image of the upper surface of the chaff tray, a plurality of pressure sensors arranged at different lateral positions of the upper screen, a plurality of layer thickness sensors arranged at different lateral positions of the chaff tray 120, or a radar sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, or an image sensor for monitoring the chaff distribution downstream of the residue spreader 74. Other types of sensors may also be used for the same purpose. For example, a plurality of weight sensors may be installed below the chaff tray 120. Although such weight sensors may not provide a detailed view of the lateral distribution of chaff on the chaff tray 120, they may be used to determine a left-right weight balance, indicating an asymmetry of such distribution that may need to be corrected.

[0037] The combine harvester 10 may also include a tilt sensor for determining a lateral tilt of the combine harvester 10 relative to a horizontal reference plane, and the control unit 350 is operatively connected to the tilt sensor and configured to control the operation of the chaff pan side-sway system according to the lateral tilt. Although the tilt sensor does not provide direct information about the distribution of chaff residues on the chaff pan 120, uneven distribution of chaff residues is often caused by the combine harvester 10 traveling on a lateral tilted field. Therefore, the tilt sensor can provide a useful prediction or estimate of the actual chaff distribution on the chaff pan 120, thereby allowing the chaff pan side-sway system to be controlled to more evenly distribute the chaff.

Claims

1. A combine harvester (10), comprising: a cleaning system (26) comprising an upper screen (48) and a lower screen (50) for separating chaff from clean grain, the upper screen (48) and the lower screen (50) being arranged to vibrate back and forth; a residue spreader (74) arranged to receive separated chaff from the cleaning system (26) and spread the separated chaff onto the field; a chaff pan (120) mechanically mounted on the upper screen (48) so as to vibrate back and forth therewith, located downstream of the upper screen (48) and upstream of the residue spreader (74), for conveying separated chaff from the upper screen (48) to the residue spreader (74); and A chaff tray side-rocking system arranged to vibrate the chaff tray in a sideways manner.

2. The combine harvester (10) according to claim 1, wherein the chaff pan side rocking system is arranged to vibrate the upper screen (48) and the chaff pan (120) together in a sideways manner.

3. The combine harvester (10) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the chaff pan side rocking system is arranged to vibrate the chaff pan (120) independently of the upper screen (48).

4. A combine harvester according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the chaff tray side rocking system comprises a chaff tray side rocking actuator (310) and a mechanical connector (320), wherein the mechanical connector (320) connects the chaff tray side rocking actuator (310) to the chaff tray (120), and the mechanical connector (320) is mounted to a central portion of the chaff tray (120).

5. The combine harvester according to claim 4, wherein the chaff tray yaw actuator (310) and / or the mechanical connection (320) are at least partially mounted below the chaff tray (120).

6. The combine harvester (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising: a distribution sensor (340) for determining an input signal representative of a lateral distribution of separated chaff on the chaff pan (120); as well as A control unit (350) is operatively connected to the distribution sensor (340) to receive an input signal therefrom and is configured to control the operation of the chaff pan side-shaking system according to the input signal.

7. The combine harvester (10) according to claim 6, wherein the control unit (350) is configured to adjust the frequency, phase and / or amplitude of the lateral vibration of the chaff pan (120).

8. The combine harvester (10) according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the distribution sensor (340) comprises at least one of the following: an image sensor for capturing an image of an upper surface of the chaff tray (120); A plurality of pressure sensors disposed at different lateral positions of the upper screen (48); a plurality of layer thickness sensors disposed at different lateral positions on the chaff disk (120); and A radar sensor, an ultrasonic sensor or an image sensor for monitoring the chaff distribution downstream of the residue spreader (74).

9. The combine harvester (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising: a tilt sensor for determining a lateral tilt of the combine harvester (10) relative to a horizontal reference plane; as well as A control unit (350) is operatively connected to the tilt sensor and configured to control the operation of the chaff pan side-shaking system according to the lateral tilt.

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