Sugarcane harvester

Abstract

To provide a sugarcane harvester that prevents foreign matter from getting tangled around the motor's output shaft. [Solution] The sugarcane harvester is equipped with a harvesting unit for cutting crops, the harvesting unit comprising a divider 8 for separating crops to be cut from crops to be left in the field, a motor 10A for driving the divider 8, and an adapter 9 attached to the output shaft 10a of the motor 10A and fixed to the divider 8, the adapter 9 having a flange portion 91 provided at the end on the motor 10A side.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a sugarcane harvester.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a sugarcane harvester including a crop divider that draws sugarcane into the machine while causing it to fall. This crop divider has a rotatably supported auger. The auger is driven by a hydraulic motor.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Since the auger of Patent Document 1 draws sugarcane into the machine while contacting the sugarcane, foreign matter such as sugarcane leaf debris may wrap around the output shaft of the hydraulic motor (the motor in the present application) located relatively close to the auger.

[0005] <…000028>An object of the present invention is to provide a sugarcane harvester in which foreign matter is unlikely to wrap around the output shaft of the motor.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The sugarcane harvester according to the present invention is characterized by including a cutting unit that cuts crops, the cutting unit including a divider that separates the crops to be cut from the crops remaining in the field, a motor that drives the divider, and an adapter that is attached to the output shaft of the motor and fixed to the divider, and the adapter has a flange portion provided at an end on the motor side.

[0007] With this configuration, the flange portion prevents contaminants from reaching the motor's output shaft from the adapter side. This makes it more difficult for contaminants to reach the motor's output shaft. Therefore, contaminants such as sugarcane leaves are less likely to wrap around the motor's output shaft.

[0008] In the present invention, the cutting unit preferably includes a motor support plate that supports the motor, and the motor support plate preferably has a recess or hole into which at least a part of the flange portion fits.

[0009] In this configuration, the flange portion fits into the recess or hole of the motor support plate. This prevents foreign objects from passing through the recess or hole and reaching the motor's output shaft.

[0010] In the present invention, it is preferable that the divider comprises a rotating body that rotates around a pivot axis, the motor is positioned above the rotating body in a direction along the pivot axis, and the adapter is positioned such that the upper surface of the flange portion is positioned above the lower surface of the motor support plate in a direction along the pivot axis.

[0011] In this configuration, the flange portion fully fits into the recess or hole until the upper surface of the flange portion is positioned above the lower surface of the motor support plate in the direction along the rotation axis. As a result, the gap between the flange portion that fits into the recess or hole and the motor support plate portion surrounding the recess or hole becomes smaller than in conventional designs. This prevents foreign objects from passing through the recess or hole and reaching the motor output shaft.

[0012] In the present invention, it is preferable that the lower surface of the flange portion is flush with the lower surface of the motor support plate.

[0013] With this configuration, no step is created between the flange portion and the motor support plate, making it less likely for debris to get caught on the flange portion or the motor support plate. As a result, debris is less likely to accumulate around the motor's output shaft.

[0014] In the present invention, it is preferable that the adapter covers the output shaft of the motor from the outside.

[0015] According to this configuration, since the output shaft of the motor is covered by the adapter, it becomes difficult for foreign matter to reach the output shaft of the motor.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0016] [Figure 1] It is a left side view showing a sugarcane harvester. [Figure 2] It is a plan view showing a sugarcane harvester. [Figure 3] It is a left side view showing a harvesting unit. [Figure 4] It is a plan view showing a harvesting unit. [Figure 5] It is a right side view showing a left divider. [Figure 6] It is a front view showing a left divider. [Figure 7] It is a view showing a fixing portion between a hydraulic motor and a divider. [Figure 8] It is a cross-sectional view taken along the arrow VIII-VIII in FIG. 7. [Figure 9] It is a cross-sectional view taken along the arrow IX-IX in FIG. 5.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0017] Hereinafter, the sugarcane harvester according to the present invention will be described based on the drawings. In the following description, the direction of the arrow F in the drawings is defined as "front", the direction of the arrow B as "rear", the direction of the arrow U as "up", the direction of the arrow D as "down", the direction of the arrow R as "right", and the direction of the arrow L as "left".

[0018] 〔Overall Configuration〕 As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the sugarcane harvester 100 includes a vehicle body 1, a traveling device 2 that supports the vehicle body 1, a cutting unit 3 that cuts crops, a conveying device 4 that conveys the crops harvested by the cutting unit 3, a sorting device 5 that sorts the crops into harvested products and impurities by sorting air, a rear conveying device 6 that conveys the harvested products supplied from the sorting device 5 to the rear and then discharges them to the outside, a driver's cab 7 into which the driver gets on, and an engine E supported by the vehicle body 1.

[0019] The traveling device 2 includes left and right front wheels 21 and left and right rear wheels 22 located behind the front wheels 21. The rear wheels 22 are supported by an axle case connected to the vehicle body 1. The power from the engine E is transmitted to the left and right rear wheels 22 via a transmission. In other words, the rear wheels 22 are driven by the engine E. On the other hand, the power from the engine E is not transmitted to the front wheels 21. The front wheels 21 are supported by the vehicle body 1 so as to be able to move up and down and be steered.

[0020] The conveying device 4 is supported by the vehicle body 1 in a rearwardly rising inclined posture. The lower part of the conveying device 4 is supported by the vehicle body 1. Also, the rear part of the conveying device 4 is supported by the vehicle body 1 via an axle case or a transmission located below the rear part of the conveying device 4.

[0021] The conveying device 4 is located behind the cutting unit 3. The crops cut by the cutting unit 3 are conveyed by the conveying device 4 obliquely upward to the rear of the vehicle body 1.

[0022] [[ID=1"]] The sorting device 5 is located behind the conveying device 4. The crops conveyed by the conveying device 4 are shredded at the conveyance end portion of the conveying device 4 and supplied to the sorting device 5. The crops supplied to the sorting device 5 fall while passing through the inside of the sorting device 5 downward from the conveyance end portion of the conveying device 4. The crops passing through the sorting device 5 are sorted by the sorting air so that impurities such as sugarcane leaf debris are blown outside the vehicle body 1. The sorted harvested products fall onto the front part of the rear conveying device 6.

[0023] The rear conveying device 6 extends diagonally upward and backward. The rear conveying device 6 conveys the harvested material diagonally upward and backward. The conveyed harvested material is discharged to the outside of the vehicle body 1 from a discharge section provided at the rear of the rear conveying device 6. The harvested material is discharged by the rear conveying device 6 onto the cargo bed of a transport vehicle running alongside the sugarcane harvester 100.

[0024] [Reaping section] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the cutting unit 3 comprises left and right plant dividers 31 that separate the crops to be cut from the crops to be left in the field, left and right dividers 8 that separate the crops to be cut from the crops to be left in the field, arms 32 that support the dividers 8 so that they can swing up and down, a crop-tipping device 35 that knocks the crops forward, and a cutting blade 36 that cuts the base of the crops that have been knocked down by the crop-tipping device 35.

[0025] The grass divider 31 is connected to the lower part of the divider 8. In a plan view, the grass divider 31 has a shape in which the width in the left-right direction of the vehicle body 1 narrows towards the front.

[0026] The arm 32 is a rod-shaped member. The arm 32 connects the vehicle body 1 and the divider 8. The arm 32 is pivotable relative to the vehicle body 1 around axes A1 and A2 that extend in the left-right direction of the vehicle body 1. The divider 8 is also pivotable relative to the arm 32 around axes A3 and A4 that extend in the left-right direction of the vehicle body 1. With the above configuration, the divider 8, the arm 32, and the vehicle body 1 constitute a link mechanism. The arm 32 comprises an upper arm 32a and a lower arm 32b located below the upper arm 32a.

[0027] The harvesting unit 3 is equipped with left and right hydraulic cylinders 33. The hydraulic cylinders 33 are connected to the vehicle body 1 and the lower arm 32b. The lower arm 32b is oscillated by the extension and retraction of the hydraulic cylinders 33. As the lower arm 32b oscillates, the divider 8 oscillates around axes A1 and A2 relative to the vehicle body 1.

[0028] The tilting device 35 is a cylindrical member provided at multiple positions in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body. The tilting device 35 extends in the left-right direction of the vehicle body 1 and is rotatable around an axis along the left-right direction of the vehicle body 1. The left and right ends of the tilting device 35 are supported by the vehicle body 1 via bearings. The tilting device 35 has a hydraulic motor and is driven by the power of the hydraulic motor.

[0029] The cutting blade 36 is suspended from the vehicle body 1. The cutting blade 36 has left and right drive shafts that extend in the vertical direction. The drive shafts are rotatable around an axis that runs in the vertical direction. Multiple blades extend radially from the drive shafts. The rotational drive of the drive shafts causes the multiple blades to rotate around an axis that runs in the vertical direction.

[0030] Power from the hydraulic motor is transmitted to the left and right drive shafts via a gear mechanism. The left and right drive shafts rotate in opposite directions.

[0031] The vehicle body 1 includes a support frame 1a that supports the driver's unit 7 located above the harvesting unit 3.

[0032] [Divider] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the left and right dividers 8 each include an inner screw 81 (corresponding to a rotating body) that can rotate around an axis A5 (corresponding to a pivot axis) that extends diagonally upward and rearward in a side view, an outer screw 82 (corresponding to a rotating body) that is located outside the vehicle body 1 in the left-right direction relative to the inner screw 81 and can rotate around an axis A6 (corresponding to a pivot axis) that extends diagonally upward and rearward in a side view, a connecting frame 83 that connects the inner screw 81 and the outer screw 82, a support frame 84 that extends along the inner screw 81, and a plate-shaped introduction member 85 that guides the crops to the conveying device 4 while in contact with the crops.

[0033] The internal screw 81 (divider 8) is driven by the first hydraulic motor 10A (equivalent to a motor). The external screw 82 (divider 8) is driven by the second hydraulic motor 10B (equivalent to a motor).

[0034] As shown in Figure 3, the first hydraulic motor 10A is positioned above the internal screw 81 in the direction along the axis A5. The second hydraulic motor 10B is positioned above the external screw 82 in the direction along the axis A6. Here, "above in the direction along the axes A5 and A6" refers to the position above the divider 8 when the axis A5 or axis A6 is positioned to extend vertically. Also, "below in the direction along the axes A5 and A6" refers to the position below the divider 8 when the axis A5 or axis A6 is positioned to extend vertically.

[0035] The left and right connecting frames 83 connect the upper part of the inner screw 81 and the upper part of the outer screw 82. As shown in Figure 4, the connecting frames 83 extend outwards from the rear of the inner screw 81 to the rear of the outer screw 82 in a plan view, inclined outwards from the vehicle body 1 in the left-right direction.

[0036] The left and right support frames 84 extend from the top of the internal screw 81 to the bottom of the internal screw 81. The top of the internal screw 81 is connected to the top of the support frames 84. The bottom of the internal screw 81 is supported by the plant divider 31.

[0037] The upper part of the external screw 82 is connected to the upper part of the support frame 84 via a connecting frame 83. The lower part of the external screw 82 is connected to the lower part of the support frame 84.

[0038] The upper arm 32a is connected to the upper part of the support frame 84. The lower arm 32b is connected to the lower part of the support frame 84.

[0039] [Internal screw] As shown in Figures 3, 5, and 6, the internal screw 81 is cylindrical. The internal screw 81 has a helical body on its outer circumference. In a side view, the internal screw 81 is tilted upwards towards the rear.

[0040] The internal screw 81 has a plate-shaped upper plate 81a located above the internal screw 81, a connecting portion 81b, a plate-shaped lower plate 81c located below the internal screw 81, and a bearing 81d. The connecting portion 81b is a cylindrical member with a flange on its outer circumference and is fixed to the upper plate 81a by bolts. The connecting portion 81b is connected to an adapter 9 (described later) which is attached to the output shaft 10a of the first hydraulic motor 10A. The adapter 9 covers the output shaft 10a of the first hydraulic motor 10A from the outside of the output shaft 10a. Here, "outside of the output shaft 10a" refers to the outside of the output shaft 10a in the radial direction. The lower plate 81c is supported by the tiller 31 via the bearing 81d.

[0041] As will be explained in more detail later, a plate-shaped scraper 13 is provided behind the internal screw 81. The scraper 13 is configured to remove foreign matter such as sugarcane leaves that have become wrapped around the rotating internal screw 81.

[0042] [External screw] As shown in Figures 3, 5, and 6, the external screw 82 is cylindrical. The external screw 82 has a helical body on its outer circumference. In a side view, the external screw 82 is tilted upwards towards the rear. Although not shown, the configuration of the external screw 82 (connecting the external screw 82 to the second hydraulic motor 10B via an adapter having a flange portion) is the same as that of the internal screw 81. The angle between the axis A5 and the horizontal plane is smaller than the angle between the axis A6 and the horizontal plane.

[0043] [Fixing point between the hydraulic motor and the divider] Figures 7 and 8 show the fixing points between the first hydraulic motor 10A and the internal screw 81 (divider 8). In Figure 7, the upward direction of the paper is defined as "upward in the direction along the axis A5". Also, the downward direction of the paper in Figure 7 is defined as "downward in the direction along the axis A5".

[0044] As shown in Figures 7 and 8, the harvesting unit 3 includes a motor support plate 11 that supports the first hydraulic motor 10A, and a cover member 12 that covers the output shaft 10a of the first hydraulic motor 10A and the adapter 9 from the outside of the adapter 9. As shown in Figure 8, in this embodiment, the adapter 9 is circular in cross-sectional view.

[0045] The cover member 12 extends below the motor support plate 11 in the direction along the axis A5. In this embodiment, the first hydraulic motor 10A is fixed to the motor support plate 11 by bolts or the like. Also, as shown in Figure 8, the motor support plate 11 is fixed to the support frame 84 by bolts or the like.

[0046] The output shaft 10a of the first hydraulic motor 10A is spline-coupled to the adapter 9. The adapter 9 has a flange-shaped flange portion 91 located at the end on the side of the first hydraulic motor 10A. In other words, the flange portion 91 is located at the upper end in the direction along the axis A5. The flange portion 91 extends radially outward from the output shaft 10a.

[0047] Furthermore, the end of the adapter 9 on the internal screw 81 side is spline-connected to the connection portion 81b of the internal screw 81. In other words, the lower end of the adapter 9 in the direction along the axis A5 engages with the connection portion 81b by spline connection and is fixed to the connection portion 81b (divider 8) in the rotational direction of the output shaft 10a.

[0048] The motor support plate 11 has a hole 11a in its center into which the body of the first hydraulic motor 10A and the entire flange portion 91 fit. In the hole 11a, the portion into which the body of the first hydraulic motor 10A fits has a larger diameter than the portion into which the flange portion 91 fits. In other words, as shown in Figure 7, the hole 11a is stepped in a vertical cross-sectional view, with the portion into which the body of the first hydraulic motor 10A fits and the portion into which the flange portion 91 fits. However, the motor support plate 11 may also have a hole 11a into which a part of the flange portion 91 fits. In other words, the motor support plate 11 has a hole 11a into which at least a part of the flange portion 91 fits.

[0049] In Figure 7, line L1 extends along the lower surface 11b of the motor support plate 11. The upper surface 91a of the flange portion 91 is located above line L1 in the direction along the axis A5. In other words, the adapter 9 is positioned such that the upper surface 91a of the flange portion 91 is located above the lower surface 11b of the motor support plate 11 in the direction along the axis A5.

[0050] In this embodiment, the lower surface 91b of the flange portion 91 extends along line L1. In other words, the lower surface 91b of the flange portion 91 is flush with the lower surface 11b of the motor support plate 11.

[0051] With the above configuration, the first hydraulic motor 10A is fixed to the internal screw 81 via the adapter 9 by spline coupling. In other words, the adapter 9 and the internal screw 81 rotate together as the output shaft 10a of the first hydraulic motor 10A rotates. On the other hand, the motor support plate 11 and the cover member 12 do not rotate as the output shaft 10a of the first hydraulic motor 10A rotates.

[0052] Furthermore, the configuration of the fixing portion between the first hydraulic motor 10A and the internal screw 81 described above is also applied to the fixing portion between the second hydraulic motor 10B and the external screw 82.

[0053] [Scraper] Figure 9 shows the positional relationship between the internal screw 81 (divider 8) and the scraper 13. The end of the scraper 13 on the internal screw 81 side is blade-shaped. This allows it to cut and remove any debris wrapped around the internal screw 81. The scraper 13 is supported by the support frame 84 via the introduction member 85. However, the end of the scraper 13 on the internal screw 81 side does not have to be blade-shaped. In other words, the end of the scraper 13 on the internal screw 81 side may be flat.

[0054] [Another embodiment] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. For example, it may be configured as in the following alternative embodiments. In the alternative embodiments described below, components identical to those in the embodiments are denoted by the same numbers and reference numerals as in the embodiments described above.

[0055] [1] In the above embodiment, the internal screw 81 and the external screw 82 are driven by the first hydraulic motor 10A and the second hydraulic motor 10B, respectively. However, the internal screw 81 and the external screw 82 may also be driven by electric motors.

[0056] [2] In the above embodiment, the first hydraulic motor 10A is located above the internal screw 81 in the direction along the axis A5. However, the first hydraulic motor 10A may be located below the internal screw 81 in the direction along the axis A5.

[0057] [3] In the above embodiment, the second hydraulic motor 10B is located above the external screw 82 in the direction along the axis A6. However, the second hydraulic motor 10B may also be located below the external screw 82 in the direction along the axis A6.

[0058] [4] In the above embodiment, the motor support plate 11 has a hole 11a into which at least a part of the flange portion 91 fits. However, the motor support plate 11 may also have a recess into which at least a part of the flange portion 91 fits. In this case, the recess has a portion into which the flange portion 91 fits. On the other hand, there does not need to be a portion into which the body of the first hydraulic motor 10A fits.

[0059] [5] The upper surface 91a of the flange portion 91 does not have to be located above the lower surface 11b of the motor support plate 11 in the direction along the axis A5. In this case, the upper surface 91a of the flange portion 91 may be flush with the lower surface 11b of the motor support plate 11.

[0060] [6] In the above embodiment, the lower surface 91b of the flange portion 91 is flush with the lower surface 11b of the motor support plate 11. However, the lower surface 91b of the flange portion 91 may be located below the lower surface 11b of the motor support plate 11 in the direction along the axis A5.

[0061] [7] The sugarcane harvester 100 does not need to be equipped with a rear conveying device 6. In this case, the harvested material sorted by the sorting device 5 is discharged into a harvested material storage bag or the like.

[0062] [8] The running gear 2 may be a crawler type device.

[0063] [9] The configurations disclosed in the above-described embodiments (including other embodiments, the same applies hereinafter) can be applied in combination with configurations disclosed in other embodiments, insofar as they do not cause a contradiction, and the embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative, and the embodiments of the present invention are not limited thereto and can be modified as appropriate without departing from the object of the present invention. [Industrial applicability]

[0064] This invention is applied to sugarcane harvesting machines. [Explanation of symbols]

[0065] 100: Sugarcane harvester 3: Reaping part 8: Divider 81: Internal screw (rotating body) 82: External screw (rotating body) 9: Adapter 91: Flange section 91a:Top surface 91b: Bottom surface 10A: First hydraulic motor (motor) 10B: Second hydraulic motor (motor) 10a: Output shaft 11: Motor support plate 11a: Hole 11b: Bottom surface A5: Axis (rotation axis) A6: Axis (rotation axis)

Claims

1. Equipped with a harvesting unit for cutting crops, The aforementioned harvesting unit is, A divider separates the crops to be harvested from those to be left in the field, A motor that drives the aforementioned divider, The system includes an adapter that is attached to the output shaft of the motor and fixed to the divider, The adapter is a sugarcane harvester having a flange portion provided at the motor-side end.

2. The harvesting unit includes a motor support plate that supports the motor, The sugarcane harvester according to claim 1, wherein the motor support plate has a recess or hole into which at least a part of the flange portion fits.

3. The divider comprises a rotating body that rotates around a pivot axis, The motor is positioned above the rotating body in a direction along the pivot axis, The sugarcane harvester according to claim 2, wherein the adapter is positioned such that the upper surface of the flange portion is located above the lower surface of the motor support plate in the direction along the pivot axis.

4. The sugarcane harvester according to claim 3, wherein the lower surface of the flange portion is flush with the lower surface of the motor support plate.

5. The sugarcane harvester according to claim 1, wherein the adapter covers the output shaft of the motor from the outside.

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