SELF-PROPELLED COMBINE HARVESTER

Description

[0001] The present application relates to a self-propelled combine harvester according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0002] The combine harvester comprises a cutting unit for cutting plants standing upright in a field. The cutting unit can, in particular, comprise a cutter bar, by means of which the plants can be cut close to the ground. Starting from the cutting unit, the cut plants are conveyed by means of an inclined conveyor towards a threshing unit. The threshing unit typically comprises a plurality of threshing elements, for example, a tangential threshing drum. The threshing unit is designed to process the cut plants in such a way that fruits are separated from plant residues. For example, grains can be threshed from ears of corn, so that the grains are then separated from the rest of the respective plant, which then forms the plant residue.A significant portion of the fruit and fine plant residues can be separated directly in the area of ​​the threshing unit by a threshing concave, with the fruit being guided downwards from the threshing unit onto a preparation floor. Furthermore, a mixture of fruit and plant residues is passed from the threshing unit to a separating unit, which separates at least coarse plant residues from the fruit and fine plant residues. The plant residues are typically ejected from the rear of the combine harvester, where they may have been chopped beforehand by a chopping unit if necessary.

[0003] The fruit and fine plant residue separated by the separating device are passed on to a sieve device, which sieves out the remaining fine plant residue. Furthermore, the fruit and fine plant residue already separated by the threshing device's concave are fed to the sieve device. These are then conveyed to the sieve device via the preparation floor.

[0004] The separation of the crop from fine plant residues, such as chaff, by means of the sieve is typically achieved by means of an air flow directed along the sieve. This is designed to mobilize the fine and therefore light plant residues and transport them toward the rear end of the combine harvester. The heavier, non-floating crops, in contrast, are not affected by the air flow and can thus be separated from the plant residues. To generate the air flow, the combine harvester includes a suction fan, which is assigned to the rear end of the sieve, as viewed in the longitudinal direction of the combine harvester.One suction side of this suction fan is assigned to the sieve element, so that the suction fan is suitable for directing the air flow from an air inlet cross-section located in front of the sieve element, viewed longitudinally of the combine harvester, along the sieve element, so that the fine plant residues can be captured and removed as desired. The crops sieved in this way by the sieve element are usually conveyed to a grain tank by means of an elevator.

[0005] Combine harvesters of the type described above are already known in the prior art. Reference is made to German patent application DE 24 19 141 A1 as an example. This describes a stone trap for a combine harvester, which is arranged between the feederhouse and the threshing unit.

[0006] In the prior art, it has proven disadvantageous that grain loss occurs in an area between the elevator and the preparation floor during operation of the respective combine harvester. This occurs because the crops separated through the threshing concave toward the preparation floor are inadvertently accelerated toward the front end of the combine harvester and then escape through the air inlet cross-section formed between the elevator and the preparation floor. The resulting trajectories of the affected crops can be caused by an unfavorable impact of a particular crop on the preparation floor or as a result of the cyclical oscillating movement of the preparation floor.

[0007] Another combine harvester is known, for example, from EP3662738 A1.

[0008] The present application is therefore based on the object of providing a combine harvester in which the described grain loss is reduced compared to the prior art.

[0009] The underlying object is achieved according to the invention by means of a self-propelled combine harvester having the features of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments emerge from the associated subclaims.

[0010] The combine harvester according to the invention is characterized in that the air inlet cross-section is formed on an air inlet structure arranged between the threshing element and the preparation floor. The air volume flow drawn in through this air inlet cross-section is guided along the preparation floor to the screening element and finally to the suction fan, by means of which the air volume flow can be drawn in and which is assigned to the rear end of the screening element. According to the invention, the air inlet structure comprises a trickle grain guard, which reduces the undesired escape of crops through the air inlet cross-section. This escape is preferably completely prevented by the trickle grain guard.

[0011] The combine harvester according to the invention has many advantages. In particular, it allows the air flow to enter the area between the inclined conveyor and the preparation floor, so that the above-mentioned cleaning effect of the air flow, which consists in mobilizing the fine plant residues, can already take effect in the preparation floor area. At the same time, the air inlet structure, which features the described anti-trickle grain protection, reduces the escape of crops through the air inlet cross-section.

[0012] Preferably, the trickle grain guard is designed in the manner of a labyrinth seal, which prevents fruits that are accelerated unfavorably in the direction of the air inlet cross-section from leaving the area of ​​the preparation floor through the air inlet cross-section along an unaffected trajectory. In particular, the labyrinth seal ensures that a connecting path between an outer region, from which the air volume flow is drawn in, and the area of ​​the preparation floor has at least one, preferably a plurality of deflections. This causes a respective fruit to impact a component of the trickle grain guard at least at one point and is thus very likely prevented from undesirably escaping from the area of ​​the preparation floor.As a result of the design of the trickle grain protection in the manner of a labyrinth seal, the air volume flow that is sucked in through the air inlet cross-section is deflected several times as it enters the area of ​​the preparation floor.

[0013] Further developing the combine harvester according to the invention, the trickle grain protection comprises a guide plate extending in an area between the inclined conveyor and the preparation floor. This guide plate can be oriented at an angle, particularly with respect to a longitudinal direction of the combine harvester, preferably inclined upwards toward a rear end of the combine harvester. This design is particularly advantageous for reliably preventing crops that are unfavorably deflected from the preparation floor from escaping through the air inlet cross-section.

[0014] Particularly preferably, the guide plate comprises at least one opening, preferably a plurality of openings, through which fruit can fall from an upper side of the guide plate toward the preparation floor, i.e., an underside of the guide plate. This creates the possibility for fruit deposited on the upper side of the guide plate to be conveyed through the opening to the area of ​​the preparation floor and thus for further processing. Fruit can reach the upper side of the guide plate if, for example, it falls particularly unfavorably from the threshing concave onto the preparation floor or is otherwise deflected or accelerated in an unfavorable manner.It is also conceivable to have a stone trap above the air inlet structure, which in turn has a trickle opening through which fruit that accidentally enters the stone trap can be diverted toward the preparation floor. A corresponding design is explained separately below.

[0015] If the guide plate has the described at least one opening, it can further be particularly advantageous if the trickle grain protection comprises a baffle plate on an underside of the guide plate, associated with the opening. This baffle plate is designed to shield the opening from below in such a way that an unintentional passage of fruit from the underside of the guide plate through the opening to the top of the guide plate is prevented. The baffle plate therefore has the particular function of blocking a possible trajectory of a fruit, for example a grain, directed from the preparation floor through the opening to the top of the guide plate.For this purpose, it can be particularly advantageous if the baffle plate is oriented at an incline relative to a plane of the guide plate, so that it does not block the opening as such and thus a desired passage of fruit from the upper side of the guide plate in the direction of the preparation floor is possible, while the undesired passage in the other direction is at least substantially blocked.

[0016] Furthermore, a design of the trickle grain guard can be particularly advantageous in which, viewed in the direction of flow of the air volume flow, a catching wall is formed in front of the at least one opening, projecting upwards above the upper side of the guide plate. This has the particular function of preventing crops that are deposited on the upper side of the guide plate from moving into an area beyond the catching wall and thus escaping the discharge in the direction of the preparation floor through the opening. The catching wall is particularly advantageous if the guide plate is designed to be inclined relative to the longitudinal direction of the combine harvester in the manner described above, in particular if this inclination increases towards the rear end of the combine harvester.This results in fruit that lands on the top of the guide plate sliding down the guide plate toward the front of the combine harvester, reaching the air inlet and then escaping into the environment. The catcher wall blocks such fruit movement and catches it, allowing the fruit to be diverted through the opening to the preparation floor.

[0017] In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the combine harvester according to the invention, it comprises a stone trap located at an end of the threshing unit facing the inclined conveyor. The stone trap is designed to prevent stones from entering the threshing unit. If a stone trap is present, it is particularly advantageous if the air inlet structure is arranged between the stone trap and the preparation floor. In this embodiment, the air inlet cross-section is also located between the stone trap and the preparation floor.

[0018] Particularly preferably, when the stone trap is present, the preparation floor is designed such that, viewed in the longitudinal direction of the combine harvester, it extends to a front end of the stone trap. Thus, the preparation floor ends, so to speak, at least substantially flush with a front end of the stone trap. This has the particular advantage that the area of ​​the preparation floor is extended further toward the front end of the combine harvester compared to the prior art, whereby crops that are unfavorably accelerated toward the air inlet cross-section are less likely to reach the air inlet cross-section, since this is also shifted toward the front end of the combine harvester.

[0019] Accordingly, it is particularly advantageous if the air inlet structure is arranged below a front end of the stone trap trough, which faces the inclined conveyor. In this configuration, as explained above, the air inlet structure has the sole task of protecting fruit that is adversely deflected or accelerated from escaping from the area of ​​the preparation floor into the surrounding area.

[0020] If the trickle grain guard, as described above, comprises a guide plate with an opening formed therein on which a collecting wall is arranged, it can also be particularly advantageous if this collecting wall of the trickle grain guard and a front, typically vertically oriented wall of the stone trap trough together delimit the air inlet cross-section. In this embodiment, the air inlet cross-section therefore extends between a lower end of the wall of the stone trap trough and an upper end of the collecting wall, wherein the air inlet cross-section can in particular take the form of a slot. In this embodiment, it is particularly advantageous if the collecting wall of the trickle grain guard and the wall of the stone trap trough are aligned at least substantially along a common plane. Ideally, both components extend flatly in a common plane.

[0021] Regarding the stone trap, it can also be particularly advantageous if it has a trickle opening as mentioned above, through which fruit that has entered the stone trap can be diverted toward the air inlet structure and thus toward the preparation floor. This allows even fruit that has been inadvertently trapped in the stone trap to be harvested and utilized.

[0022] Particularly preferably, in an embodiment in which the trickle grain guard comprises the guide plate with the opening therein and the catcher wall, the trickle opening is arranged relative to the trickle grain guard such that the trickle opening is arranged behind the catcher wall when viewed in the longitudinal direction of the combine harvester, or conversely, the catcher wall is arranged in front of the trickle opening when viewed in the longitudinal direction of the combine harvester. This has the technical effect that the crop falling through the trickle opening towards the air inlet structure is prevented by the catcher wall from reaching the air inlet cross-section and thus escaping into the environment. Instead, it is intercepted at the catcher wall at the latest and guided through the opening in the guide plate into the area of ​​the preparation floor.

[0023] Accordingly, it is particularly advantageous if the opening of the guide plate is spatially assigned to the trickle opening in such a way that the fruits falling through the trickle opening can be guided through the opening of the guide plate in the direction of the preparation floor.

[0024] The invention is explained in more detail below using an exemplary embodiment illustrated in the figures. It shows: Fig. 1: A cross-section through a combine harvester according to the invention, Fig. 2: A cross-section in the area of ​​an air inlet structure between a feederhouse and a preparation floor of the combine harvester according to Figure 1 , Fig. 3:A perspective view of the cross section according to Figure 2 , Fig. 4: Another perspective view of the cross section according to Figure 2 .

[0025] An example of implementation that is shown in the Figures 1 to 4 shown comprises a combine harvester according to the invention 1.This includes a cutting organ 2, by means of which plants 3, that grow in a field can be cut down. The cut plants 3 are then transported by means of an inclined conveyor 4 towards a threshing organ 5 transported, by means of which the plants 3 In this process, fruits are separated from plant residues, with a significant portion of the fruits already being threshed 7 the threshing organ 5 These fruits are placed on a preparation tray 6, by means of which they are further transported towards a downstream sieve 9 The plant residues and detached fruits are also separated from the threshing 5 a separating organ 8 which in the example shown is formed by a tray shaker. By means of the separating device 8At least coarse plant residues are separated and stored at the rear end of the combine harvester 1 a chopping device 29 which chops up the plant residues. The plant residues are then discharged 30 from the combine harvester 1 held.

[0026] The separating element 8 separated fruits and fine plant residues are placed on a return tray 32 separated and by means of the return floor 32 first the preparation floor 6 and finally the sieve organ 9 The sieve element 9 In the example shown, it includes an upper sieve 25 and a lower sieve 26, which are jointly responsible for sieving out the fine plant residues so that the fruit can be collected at least essentially free of plant residues. At one rear end of the sieve 9For this purpose a suction fan is 10 arranged, by means of which an air volume flow 11 on a suction side 12 the suction fan 10 This air volume flow 11 is sucked in through several air inlet cross-sections, which are arranged in the longitudinal direction of the combine harvester 1 viewed in front of the sieve organ 9 In particular, an air inlet cross-section 13 at a front end of the preparation floor 6 formed, whereby the air inlet cross-section 13 height between the inclined conveyor 4 and the preparation floor 6 or between the threshing organ 5 and the preparation floor 6. The air volume flow 11, through the air inlet cross-section 13 is sucked in, thus flows along both the preparation floor 6 as well as along the sieve organ 9and thereby continuously cleanses, whereby the fine plant residues that have not yet been removed by the separating device 8 separated, mobilized and directed towards the suction fan 10 There they are transported into the suction fan 10 sucked and on a pressure side of the suction wind blower 10 In particular, the fine plant residues can be removed from the discharge 30 which they are finally removed from the combine harvester 1 After the fine plant residues have been separated, the fruits are finally transported by an elevator 27 a grain tank 28 and collected there until they are transferred to a transfer device 33 be loaded onto a transport vehicle not shown in the figures.

[0027] In the example shown, the combine harvester includes 1 Furthermore, a stone trap22 which is located between a rear, the threshing organ 5 facing end of the inclined conveyor 4 and a front end of the threshing organ 5 The height of the stone trap is 22 between the rear end of the inclined conveyor 4 and the preparation floor 6 arranged. The stone trap 22 serves to inadvertently use the inclined conveyor 4 to separate stones that are dragged along so that they do not get into the threshing 5 get there.

[0028] According to the invention, the combine harvester comprises 1 an air inlet structure 14, which are particularly well suited to the Figures 2 to 4 This air inlet structure 14 In the example shown, is between the stone trap 22 and the preparation floor 6 The preparation floor is 6designed in such a way that it extends to a front wall 23 the stone trap 22 Thus, the preparation floor 6 and the stone trap 22 at least substantially flush with each other along a vertical plane. The air inlet structure 14 is located in a space between the stone trap 22 and the preparation floor 6.

[0029] The air inlet structure 14 includes a trickle grain protection 15, by means of which an unintentional discharge of fruit at the front end of a section of the preparation floor 6 This simultaneously reduces the air inlet cross-section 13 released so that the air volume flow 11 at the front end of the preparation floor 6 from the suction fan 10can be sucked in and then along the preparation floor 6 To prevent fruit from blocking the air inlet cross-section 13 and thus escape into an environment, the trickle grain protection includes 15 a baffle 16, which is located in the longitudinal direction of the combine harvester 1 viewed inclined oriented between the stone trap 22 and the preparation floor 6 The guide plate 16 is inclined in such a way that it is directed towards the rear end of the combine harvester 1 rises. The baffle 16 has the particular function of harvesting fruits from the threshing concave 7 out onto the preparation floor 6 fall and from the preparation floor 6 in an unfavourable manner, i.e. in an unfavourable trajectory, whereby the fruits are placed in a position determined by the preparation floor 6from rising movement against a bottom 19 of the guide plate 16 bounce and back onto the preparation floor 6 To ensure that the air flow 11 despite the baffle 16 in the area of ​​the preparation floor 6 can occur is an opening 31 This opening 31 In principle, it is also open to fruits, starting from the preparation floor 6 through the opening 31 to a top 18 of the guide plate 16 Due to the described inclination of the guide plate 16 Fruits that accidentally fall to the top 18 then in the direction of the air inlet cross-section 13, so that they can pass through the latter without further precautions from the combine harvester 1 To prevent this, the trickle grain protection includes 15 a catch wall21, which extends from the top 18 of the guide plate 16 extends upwards. This retaining wall 21 catches the fruit. So that these fruits reach the preparation floor 6 can be fed back in, is in the example shown in the guide plate 16 a variety of openings 17 designed to be close to the catch wall 21 These openings 17 serve to ensure that the 18 of the guide plate 16 fruits through the openings 17 through to the bottom 19 and therefore to the preparation floor 6 can reach.

[0030] Preferably, the air inlet structure 14 in the example shown arranged in such a way that the front wall 23 the stone trap 22 and the catch wall 21 of the trickle grain protection 15together the air inlet cross-section 13 This is particularly evident in the case of Figure 3 . In particular, the walls 23 and the catch wall 21 at least substantially aligned along a common plane. The air inlet cross-section 13 extends in the form of a slot between these two components.

[0031] In a particularly preferred manner, the stone trap comprises 22 a trickle opening 24, which is located at the lowest point of the stone trap 22 Through this trickle opening 24 Fruits that fall into the stone trap can 22 are discharged downwards, where they are directed onto the air inlet structure 14 The trickle grain protection is preferably 15 arranged in such a way that the catch wall 21 viewed in the longitudinal direction of the combine harvester in front of the trickle opening24 is arranged so that the water through the trickle opening 24 fruits separated through it, which are on the top 18 of the guide plate 16 are prevented from passing through the air inlet cross-section 13 from the combine harvester 1 Instead, they are placed on the catch wall 21 intercepted and through the openings 17 through the preparation floor 6 forwarded.

[0032] Finally, the trickle grain protection includes 15 another baffle plate 20, that the openings 17 from the bottom 19 of the guide plate 16 The baffle plate 20 is opposite a plane in which the guide plate 16 extends, is diagonally oriented and is designed to cover the openings 17 In particular, the baffle plate prevents 20an unintentional passage of fruit from the bottom 19 through the openings 17 to the top 18 of the guide plate 16. The baffle plate 20 is particularly evident in Figure 4 . List of reference symbols

[0033] 1 Combine harvester 2 Cutting unit 3 Plant 4 Feeder 5 Threshing unit 6 Preparation floor 7 Threshing concave 8 Separating unit 9 Sieving unit 10 Suction fan 11 Air flow rate 12 Suction side 13 Air inlet cross-section 14 Air inlet structure 15 Trickle grain guard 16 Guide plate 17 Opening 18 Top side 19 Bottom side 20 Baffle plate 21 Catch wall 22 Stone trap 23 Wall 24 Trickle opening 25 Top sieve 26 Bottom sieve 27 Elevator 28 Grain tank 29 Chopping unit 30 Discharge unit 31 Opening 32 Return floor 33 Overloading device

Claims

1. A self-propelled combine harvester (1), comprising - a cutting means (2) for cutting plants (3), - an inclined conveyor (4) for conveying cut plants (3) from the cutting means (2) to a threshing means (5), - a threshing means (5) for detaching fruits of the plants (3) from plant residues, - a grain pan (6) disposed below the threshing means (5), by means of which fruits separated out by a threshing concave (7) of the threshing means (5) can be transferred, - a separating means (8) for separating detached fruits from coarse plant residues, - a sieve means (9) for separating detached fruits from fine plant residues, as well as - an air suction fan (10) for producing a volumetric air flow (11), by means of which the sieve means (9) can be continuously cleaned, wherein, when considered in the longitudinal direction of the combine harvester (1), the air suction fan (10) is disposed behind the sieve means (9) and has a suction side (12) associated with the sieve means (9) at which suction side the volumetric air flow (11) can be drawn in, wherein, in front of the sieve means (9) when considered in the longitudinal direction of the combine harvester (1), at least one air intake cross section (13) is formed through which the volumetric air flow (11) can be drawn in, wherein the air intake cross section (13) is formed at an air intake structure (14), wherein the air intake structure (14) has a flowing grain shield (15) which reduces an unwanted escape of fruits through the air intake cross section (13), characterized in that the air intake structure (14) is disposed between the threshing means (5) and the grain pan (6).

2. The combine harvester (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the flowing grain shield (15) is constructed in the manner of a labyrinth seal, so that the flowing grain shield (15) forces the volumetric air flow to be deflected multiple times when it is taken in.

3. The combine harvester (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the flowing grain shield (15) comprises a guide plate (16) which extends between the threshing means (5) and the grain pan (6).

4. The combine harvester (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that at least one opening (17) is formed in the guide plate (16), through which fruits can fall from an upper side (18) of the guide plate (16) in the direction of the grain pan (6).

5. The combine harvester (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that the flowing grain shield (15) comprises a deflector plate (20) associated with the opening (17) on an underside (19) of the guide plate (16), by means of which deflector plate the opening (17) is shielded in a manner such that an unintentional passage of fruits from the underside (19) of the guide plate (16) through the opening (17) to the upper side (18) of the guide plate (16) is prevented.

6. The combine harvester (1) according to claim 4 or claim 5, characterized in that, in front of the at least one opening (17) when considered in the direction of flow of the volumetric air flow (11), the flowing grain shield (15) comprises a collecting wall (21) which projects upwards above the upper side (18) of the guide plate (16).

7. The combine harvester (1) according to one of claims 3 to 6, characterized in that the guide plate (16) - when considered in the longitudinal direction of the combine harvester (1) - is upwardly inclined in orientation.

8. The combine harvester (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by a stone collecting trough (22), which is disposed on an end of the threshing means (5) facing the inclined conveyor (4) and is thereby configured to separate out unwanted stones prior to entry into the threshing means (5).

9. The combine harvester (1) according to claim 8, characterized in that the grain pan (6) extends below the stone collecting trough (22) to an end of the stone collecting trough (22) facing the inclined conveyor (4).

10. The combine harvester (1) according to claim 8 or claim 9, characterized in that the air intake structure (14) is disposed below an end of the stone collecting trough (22) facing the inclined conveyor (4).

11. The combine harvester (1) according to claims 6 and 10, characterized in that the collecting wall (21) of the flowing grain shield (15) and a front wall (23) of the stone collecting trough (22) together delimit the air intake cross section (13), wherein preferably, the collecting wall (21) of the flowing grain shield (15) and the wall (23) of the stone collecting trough (22) extend in a common plane.

12. The combine harvester (1) according to claim 10 or claim 11, characterized in that the stone collecting trough (22) has a flow opening (24) through which fruits which have reached the stone collecting trough (22) can be diverted in the direction of the air intake structure (14).

13. The combine harvester (1) according to claims 6 and 12, characterized in that, when considered in the longitudinal direction of the combine harvester (1), the collecting wall (21) of the flowing grain shield (15) is disposed in front of the flow opening (24), so that fruits which fall through the flow opening (24) onto the flowing grain shield (15) are impeded by means of the collecting wall (21) from escaping from the combine harvester (1) in the direction of a front side thereof.

14. The combine harvester (1) according to claim 13, characterized in that the spatial arrangement of the opening (17) of the guide plate (16) with respect to the flow opening (24) is such that fruits falling through the flow opening (24) can be guided through the flowing grain shield (15) in the direction of the grain pan (6) by means of the opening (17).