Adjustable Crop Conveying Chute for Stable Forage Flow

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing self-propelled forage harvesters face challenges in maintaining optimal crop flow quality and efficiency, particularly at varying throughputs, due to the post-acceleration device's inability to handle crop flow effectively.

Innovation Solution

A self-propelled forage harvester with a crop conveying chute featuring an adjustable internal cross-section, enabled by position-adjustable wall elements and an actuator-controlled system, ensures optimal crop mat thickness and stability, enhancing the post-acceleration process.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If the crop conveying chute has a fixed internal cross-section, then the device complexity is reduced, but the crop flow quality deteriorates at varying throughputs

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructure complexityVSAvoidcrop flow quality
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The crop conveying chute is designed with an adjustable internal cross-section that can dynamically adapt to varying crop throughput conditions. The chute includes movable wall elements or adjustable components that allow operators to modify the cross-sectional area according to the actual crop flow rate, enabling optimal performance across different operating conditions while maintaining relatively simple structural implementation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The internal cross-section parameters of the crop conveying chute are made variable rather than fixed. By allowing adjustment of the cross-sectional dimensions (area, shape, or configuration), the system can optimize crop flow characteristics for different throughput levels, improving reliability without requiring completely complex reconfigurable structures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If the crop conveying chute has a variable internal cross-section, then the crop flow quality is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecrop flow qualityVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The crop conveying chute incorporates adjustable components such as movable walls, sliding panels, or reconfigurable elements that allow the internal cross-section to be modified. These dynamic elements are designed to be integrated into the existing chute structure with minimal additional complexity, enabling quality improvement through straightforward mechanical adjustments rather than complex automated systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Productivity

If the crop layer thickness is increased, then the post-acceleration device processes the crop more efficiently, but the crop flow stability deteriorates due to fanning and swirling

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprocessing efficiencyVSAvoidcrop flow stability
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The internal cross-section parameters of the crop conveying chute are adjusted to optimize the balance between crop layer thickness and flow stability. By modifying the cross-sectional area, shape, or configuration, the system can maintain an optimal thickness that improves processing efficiency while preventing excessive fanning and swirling through proper flow channel design and dimensional optimization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP4674247A1Self-propelled forage harvester
Publication Date: 2026.01.07 CLAAS SELBSTFAHRENDE ERNTEMASCHINEN GMBH
  • EP4674247A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4674247A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4674247A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a self-propelled forage harvester (1) with a chopping device (6), with a post-acceleration device (12), with a crop conveying chute (24) arranged between the chopping device (6) and the post-acceleration device (12), wherein the crop conveying chute (24) has an adjustable inner cross-section.