Adjustable Cleaning Shoe Stroke for Sloped Terrain Harvesting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Combine harvesters face reduced capacity due to varying terrain slopes, as the fixed stroke of the cleaning shoe's reciprocating movement leads to either overloading or insufficient loading of grains when harvesting uphill or downhill, respectively.
Innovation Solution
An adjustable drive mechanism with pivotable support arms and a variable length actuator allows for real-time adjustment of the stroke and throwing angle of the cleaning shoe's reciprocating movement, enabling adaptation to changing terrain slopes without stopping the harvester.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a fixed stroke reciprocating movement is used for the cleaning shoe, then the mechanism is simple and reliable, but the harvesting capacity decreases when harvesting on sloped terrain due to inconsistent load thickness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the stroke length of the reciprocating movement adjustable during operation. The drive mechanism includes an adjustable connection means (such as a variable length actuator or adjustable linkage) that allows the operator to modify the stroke length of the preparation pan and/or sieves based on terrain conditions. This dynamic adjustment capability enables the system to adapt to sloped terrain by maintaining optimal load thickness on the preparation pan, thereby preserving harvesting capacity without requiring a completely complex new mechanism
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements parameter changes by allowing modification of the stroke length parameter of the reciprocating movement. The adjustable connection means in the drive mechanism enables changing the geometric parameter (stroke length) to compensate for terrain slope effects. When harvesting uphill, the stroke can be increased to maintain load thickness, and when harvesting downhill, the stroke can be decreased, thus optimizing harvesting capacity for different conditions without overhauling the entire drive system
2Reliability
If the stroke is adjusted to compensate for terrain slope, then consistent load thickness is maintained, but the adjustment mechanism increases device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The system achieves reliable consistent load thickness through dynamic adjustment of the stroke length. The adjustable connection means (such as a variable length actuator, telescopic linkage, or adjustable pivot point mechanism) allows real-time modification of the reciprocating movement parameters. This dynamic capability ensures that regardless of terrain slope variations, the preparation pan maintains optimal load thickness, improving reliability of harvesting performance while adding only moderate complexity through the adjustment mechanism
Solution Approach 2:
The patent maintains reliable load thickness by enabling changes in the stroke length parameter. The adjustable connection means provides a controlled method to modify this critical parameter in response to terrain conditions. By changing the geometric parameter of the drive mechanism, the system ensures consistent loading of the preparation pan, thereby maintaining reliable harvesting performance without requiring excessive complexity in the adjustment system
3Adaptability or versatility
If manual or automatic adjustment of stroke is implemented, then adaptability to changing terrain is improved, but the control system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system achieves high adaptability to changing terrain through dynamic adjustment capabilities. The adjustable connection means can be operated manually by the operator based on visual assessment of terrain conditions, or automatically through sensors that detect slope changes. This dynamic adaptation allows the harvester to maintain optimal performance across varying terrain conditions. The control system complexity is managed by offering flexible operation modes - simple manual adjustment for basic adaptability, or enhanced automatic control with sensors for superior adaptability, allowing the user to balance complexity needs against performance requirements
Data Source
AI summary
A combine harvester has a driving shoe arrangement. The driving shoe includes a preparation pan and one or more sieves, coupled to a drive mechanism for driving a reciprocating movement of the pan and sieves. The stroke of the reciprocating movement of the pan and/or sieves is adjustable, through the application of a drive mechanism including one or more pivotably mounted support arms for supporting the pan or sieve, and a drive arm connected to one of the support arms through an adjustable connection link. The adjustable connection link can be a variable length actuator whose length determines the stroke of the pan or sieve. The stroke of the pan or sieve can be adjusted during a harvesting run, thereby allowing a fast adjustment to changing external conditions such as the slope of the terrain.