Self-propelled combine harvester

Abstract

The present invention relates to a self-propelled combine harvester (1), comprising a threshing device (2), a separating device (3), a cleaning device (4), a suction fan arrangement (8) arranged downstream of the cleaning device (4) and having a suction region (9) located upstream of the cleaning device (4), and at least one tank (15) which is arranged upstream of the cleaning device (4) in the suction region (9) and extends in sections in the longitudinal direction (L) of the combine harvester (1), wherein the at least one tank (15) has, on its front side (16) facing away from the suction fan arrangement (8), a contour which tapers in the forward direction of travel (VR).

Description

The present invention relates to a self-propelled combine harvester according to the preamble of claim 1.A combine harvester of the type mentioned at the beginning is known from DE 10 2021 121 089 A1. DE 10 2021 121 089 A1 discloses a self-propelled combine harvester which comprises a threshing device, a separating device, a cleaning device, to which a suction blower arrangement is arranged, and at least one fuel tank. The fuel tank is arranged upstream of the cleaning device in the intake region of the suction fan arrangement. The fuel tank extends in sections in the longitudinal direction of the combine harvester. The arrangement of the fuel tank arranged upstream of the cleaning device serves to partially displace the weight load additionally applied to the steering axle by the suction fan arrangement to the drive axle. The fuel tank has a rectangular parallelepiped front side, which is adjoined by an upper side which slopes down in the longitudinal direction and lateral side walls which slope down in the transverse direction. The shape of the fuel tank corresponding to a triangular cross section in the longitudinal direction serves for volume maximizing. The arrangement of the tank in the intake region, however, leads to a negative influence on the flow behavior of the intake cleaning air flow in the intake region.Proceeding from the aforementioned prior art, the object of the invention is to further develop a self-propelled combine harvester of the type mentioned at the beginning, in which, taking into account the arrangement of the fuel tank in the intake region, the disadvantage of influencing the flow behavior known from the prior art is avoided.This object is achieved according to the invention by a self-propelled combine harvester having the features of claim 1. Advantageous further developments are the subject of the dependent claims.According to claim 1, a self-propelled combine harvester is proposed, which comprises a threshing device, a separating device, a cleaning device, to which a suction blower arrangement with a suction region located upstream of the cleaning device is arranged, as well as at least one tank, which is arranged upstream in the suction region of the cleaning device and extends in sections in the longitudinal direction of the combine harvester. According to the invention, it is provided that the at least one tank has a contour tapering in the forward travel direction on its front side facing away from the suction fan arrangement. The front side of the tank is shaped so that the cross-sectional widening against the sucked-in air flow is large. Thus, the flow resistance of the sucked-in air flow when entering the combine harvester is significantly reduced compared to the prior art and the air volume flow supplied to the cleaning device is increased.A further effect of the arrangement of the tank formed according to the invention is that turbulence in the sucked-in air flow directly in front of the cleaning device is avoided or at least reduced.The at least one tank can be designed as a fuel tank or as a tank for other liquid or gaseous operating substances of the combine harvester. A gaseous operating substance can be compressed air. Liquid operating substances can be, for example, AdBlue, hydraulic oil, water or the like.Furthermore, the at least one tank can form a section of a bottom wall delimiting the intake region with an upper side, wherein the upper side of the at least one tank and the bottom wall have a smooth surface. A substantially linear transition between the top side of the tank and the bottom wall of the suction region is substantially uninterrupted and continuously executed. This makes it possible to avoid swirling in the transition.In particular, the front side can have a convex contour. The shape of the front side of the tank can correspond to a curved path, whereby a suction optimized in terms of flow is achieved.Furthermore, the course of the convex contour decreasing in the forward travel direction can have its highest point on the top side of the tank. The highest point of the course of the convex contour is preferably spaced apart before the transition. A plateau-like section can form between the highest point on the top side and the bottom wall.According to a preferred development, at least one flow manipulation element can be arranged on the top side of the tank. This additional structure on the top of the tank serves to equalize the air flow across the width of the ducted suction area. Preferably, the at least one flow manipulation element can be detachably fastened on the top side of the tank, for example by means of screw connections.In particular, the flow manipulation element can extend in sections in the longitudinal direction of the combine harvester over the top side of the tank and the bottom wall of the suction region.Furthermore, the flow manipulation element can extend in sections in the transverse direction of the combine harvester.Preferably, the at least one flow manipulation element is designed mirror-symmetrically with respect to its longitudinal central axis.Preferably, the flow manipulation element can have laterally sloping sections which extend in sections in the transverse direction of the combine harvester. The laterally falling sections can extend in the longitudinal direction and thereby run substantially parallel to the longitudinal central axis of the flow manipulation element. Between the laterally sloping sections, the flow manipulation element has a planar surface. The laterally sloping sections can also extend inclined at an angle to the longitudinal central axis.Alternatively or additionally, the laterally sloping sections can have a profile of their surfaces which is concave in sections in the longitudinal direction.In particular, the flow manipulation element can have at least one section descending in the direction of the suction fan arrangement. The at least one section is arranged in a plane below a sieve plane of the cleaning device. Due to the at least one descending section, the suction area widens in front of the cleaning device.It is fluidically advantageous if the flow manipulation element is substantially wedge-shaped.Preferably, an intake protection element can be arranged upstream of the tank. This makes it possible to prevent damage to the tank passage and to the cleaning device due to foreign bodies being sucked in.According to a further development, a trough running in the transverse direction can be arranged downstream of the tank, in which trough at least one conveying screw is arranged, which conveys crop material coming from the cleaning device.In this case, in the case of only one conveying screw, the bottom wall of the suction region can have a wall facing the depression and having a substantially straight contour.In an embodiment of the combine harvester with two conveying screws arranged relative to one another, the bottom wall of the suction region can have a wall facing the trough with a contour running substantially concavely.In the two aforementioned embodiments of the combine harvester with only one conveying screw or with two conveying screws arranged parallel to one another, the tank is designed as a constant part.The present invention is explained in more detail below with reference to an exemplary embodiment shown in the drawings.The following are shown: FIG. 1 is a schematic and exemplary partial view of a self-propelled combine harvester; FIG. 2 is a schematic and exemplary isometric sectional view of a tank arranged upstream of a cleaning device; FIG. 3 is a schematic and exemplary isometric sectional view of the tank with a flow manipulation element; FIG. 4 shows schematically and exemplarily a top view of the tank according to FIG. 3 ; FIG. 5 schematically and exemplarily a top view of the tank with a flow manipulation element according to a further embodiment; and FIG. 6 schematically and exemplarily a top view of the tank with a flow manipulation element according to a further embodiment.FIG. 1 schematically and exemplarily shows a partial view of a self-propelled combine harvester 1. The combine harvester 1 comprises, among other things, a threshing device 2, a separating device 3 and a cleaning device 4. the cleaning device 4 comprises a sieve arrangement 5 which has an upper sieve 6 and a lower sieve 7 which are arranged in a sieve box. The cleaning device 4 further comprises a suction fan arrangement 8, which is arranged downstream of the cleaning device 4. The suction fan arrangement 8 draws in an air stream LS through a suction region 9 located in front of the cleaning device 4, which air stream flows through the screen arrangement 5.Crop separated by threshing device 2 and separating device 3 reaches sieves 5, 6 of sieve arrangement 5 via a preparation floor 10 or a return floor 11, respectively. In the exemplary embodiment shown, two conveying screws 14 are arranged in parallel next to one another in the trough 13.In the suction region 9, at least one tank 15 is arranged upstream of the cleaning device 4, which tank extends in sections in the longitudinal direction L of the combine harvester 1. A suction protection element 24 is arranged upstream of the tank 15. The suction protection element 24 is designed in such a way that it performs a screening function. The suction protection element 24 prevents the entry of foreign bodies with the sucked-in air flow LS. The suction protection element 24 can be designed as a perforated sheet metal. The tank 15 can be designed as a fuel tank or a tank for other operating materials of the combine harvester 1.FIG. 2 schematically and exemplarily shows an isometric sectional view of the at least one tank 15 arranged upstream of the cleaning device 4. The at least one tank 15 has a front side 16 facing the sucked-in air flow LS, an upper side 17, an underside 18 and a rear side 19. The upper side 17 and the lower side 18 extend in sections in the longitudinal direction L of the combine harvester 1. The at least one tank 15 extends at least over the width of the suction region 9 of the cleaning device 4.The at least one tank 15 can be configured in a segmented manner, wherein the front side 16, the top side 17, the bottom side 18 and the rear side 19 each consist of individual elements which are connected to one another in such a way that they are fluid-tight in connection with the side walls.The at least one tank 15 forms with its top side 17 a section 21 of a bottom wall 20 which delimits the suction region 9 below the preparation floor 10. Between the top 17 of the tank 15 and the bottom wall 20 of the suction area 9 there is a substantially linear transition 22, which transition 22 is uninterrupted and continuously designed. In the transition 22, the top side 17 of the tank 15 and the bottom wall 20 abut each other with their front edges. The top side 17 of the at least one fuel tank 15 and the bottom wall 20 each have a smooth surface 23 in order to direct the sucked-in air flow LS in the direction of the screen arrangement 5 in a fluidically optimized manner. This makes it possible to avoid swirling in the region of the transition 22.The at least one tank 15 has a contour tapering in the forward travel direction VR on its front side 16 facing away from the suction fan arrangement 8. The front side 16 of the tank 15 has a substantially convex contour. The shape of the front side 16 of the tank 15 corresponds substantially to a curved path, whereby a suction of the air optimized in terms of flow is achieved. Turbulences in the area of the front side 16 of the tank 15 can thus be avoided or at least reduced. The course of the convex contour of the front side 16 decreasing in the forward travel direction VR has its highest point on the upper side 17 of the tank 15. Between the highest point on the top side 17 and the bottom wall 20, a plateau-like section can form, which extends in the longitudinal direction L and the transverse direction Q.The illustration in FIG. 3 shows schematically and by way of example an isometric sectional view of the tank 15 with at least one flow manipulation element 25 arranged thereon. The flow manipulation element 25 extends in the longitudinal direction L starting from the front side 16 over the upper side 17 and in sections over the bottom wall 20.FIG. 4 schematically and exemplarily shows a top view of the tank 15 according to FIG. 3. The flow manipulation element 25 extends in sections in the transverse direction Q of the combine harvester 1. the width of the flow manipulation element 25 or the greatest extension of the flow manipulation element 25 in the transverse direction Q is less than the width of the tank 15.Preferably, the at least one flow manipulation element 25 is designed mirror-symmetrically with respect to its longitudinal central axis 27.The flow manipulation element 25 has laterally descending sections 26 which extend in sections in the transverse direction Q of the combine harvester 1. The laterally falling sections 26 extend in the longitudinal direction L and in this case run substantially parallel to the longitudinal central axis 27 of the flow manipulation element 25.Between the laterally falling sections 26, the flow manipulation element 25 has a planar upper side 28. The upper side 28 is adjoined by at least one section 29 which slopes down in the direction of the suction fan arrangement 8. The suction region 9 widens in front of the cleaning device 4 by the at least one descending section 29.The sections 26 which are laterally sloping on both sides of the upper side 28 of the flow manipulation element 25 have, starting from the front side 16, a course which narrows as seen in the longitudinal direction L.The illustration in FIG. 5 schematically and exemplarily shows a top view of the tank 15 with a flow manipulation element 25 according to a further embodiment. The flow manipulation element 25 illustrated in FIG. 5 differs from the flow manipulation element 25 illustrated in FIG. 4 only in its shape, so that the reference numerals used for elements of identical construction are retained. The flow manipulation element 25 according to this embodiment has a substantially triangular outer contour. The laterally sloping sections 26 extend at an angle to the longitudinal central axis 27. This forms a pointed end region 30 of the flow manipulation element 25 facing the screen arrangement 5. The pointed end region 30 of the flow manipulation element 25 facing the screen arrangement 5 has two sections 29 descending in the direction of the suction blower arrangement 8.FIG. 6 schematically and exemplarily shows a top view of the tank 15 with a flow manipulation element 25 according to a further embodiment. According to this third embodiment of the flow manipulation element 25, the laterally descending sections 26 have a profile of their surfaces which is concave in sections in the longitudinal direction L. The planar top side 28 is substantially triangular or trapezoidal. The upper side 28 widens in the longitudinal direction L as far as the middle section 29 descending in the direction of the suction fan arrangement 8. The middle descending section 29 is flanked by two further sections 29 descending in the direction of the suction fan arrangement 8. The laterally falling sections 26, which extend along the upper side 28, have an initially narrowing course in the longitudinal direction L, which then widens again as far as the adjoining falling sections 29.List of reference characters1 Combine harvester 2 threshing device 3 separating device 4 cleaning device 5 sieve arrangement 6 upper sieve 7 lower sieve 8 suction blower arrangement 9 suction region 10 preparation base 11 return base 12 return base 13 trough 14 conveying screw 15 tank 16 front side 17 upper side 18 lower side 19 rear side 20 bottom wall 21 section 22 transition 23 surface 24 suction protection element 25 flow manipulation element 26 laterally descending section 27 longitudinal central axis 28 upper side 29 descending section 30 end region L longitudinal direction LS air flow Q transverse direction VR forward travel directionReferences included in the specificationThis list of documents cited by the applicant has been produced in an automated manner and is only included for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent application or utility model application. The DPMA does not take any adhesion for any faults or omissions.Patent Literature citedDE 10 2021 121 089 A1

[0002]

Claims

Self-propelled combine harvester (1) comprising a threshing device (2), a separating device (3), a cleaning device (4), a suction fan arrangement (8) arranged downstream of the cleaning device (4) and having a suction region (9) located upstream of the cleaning device (4), and at least one tank (15) which is arranged upstream of the cleaning device (4) in the suction region (9) and extends in sections in the longitudinal direction (L) of the combine harvester (1), characterized in that the at least one tank (15) has a contour tapering in the forward direction of travel (VR) on its front side (16) facing away from the suction fan arrangement (8).Self-propelled combine harvester (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the at least one tank (15) forms with an upper side (17) a section (21) of a base wall (20) delimiting the suction region (9), wherein the upper side (17) of the at least one fuel tank (15) and the base wall (20) have a smooth surface (23).Self-propelled combine harvester (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the front side (16) has a convex contour.Self-propelled combine harvester according to claim 3, characterised in that the course of the convex contour decreasing in the forward direction of travel (VR) has its highest point on the upper side (17) of the tank (15).Self-propelled combine harvester (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one flow manipulation element (25) is arranged on the upper side (17) of the tank (15).Self-propelled combine harvester (1) according to claim 5, characterised in that the flow manipulation element (25) extends in the longitudinal direction (L) in sections over the upper side (17) of the tank (15) and the bottom wall (20) of the suction region (9).Self-propelled combine harvester (1) according to claim 5 or 6, characterised in that the flow manipulation element (25) extends in sections in the transverse direction (Q) of the combine harvester (1).Self-propelled combine harvester (1) according to one of claims 5 to 7, characterised in that the flow manipulation element (25) has laterally descending sections (26), which extend in sections in the transverse direction (Q) of the combine harvester (1).Self-propelled combine harvester (1) according to one of claims 5 to 8, characterised in that the laterally sloping sections (26) have a profile of their surfaces which is concave in sections in the longitudinal direction (L).Self-propelled combine harvester (1) according to one of claims 5 to 9, characterised in that the flow manipulation element (25) has at least one section (29) which slopes down in the direction of the suction fan arrangement (8).Self-propelled combine harvester (1) according to one of claims 5 to 10, characterised in that the flow manipulation element (25) is substantially wedge-shaped.Self-propelled combine harvester (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the tank (15) is preceded by an intake protection element (24).Self-propelled combine harvester (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a trough (13) running in the transverse direction (Q) is arranged downstream of the tank (15), in which trough at least one conveying worm (14) is arranged, which conveys crop material coming from the cleaning device (4).Self-propelled combine harvester (1) according to claim 13, characterised in that, in the case of only one conveying screw (14), the bottom wall (20) of the suction region (9) has a wall (31) facing the trough (13) and having a substantially straight contour.Self-propelled combine harvester (1) according to claim 13, characterised in that, in the case of two conveying screws (14) arranged relative to one another, the bottom wall (20) of the suction region (9) has a wall (31) facing the trough (13) and having a contour running substantially concave.

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