Articulated Combine Rear Module for Heavy-Residue Seedbed Preparation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current farming machinery requires multiple passes across a field for tilling, planting, and fertilizing, leading to high fuel, labor, and equipment costs, and existing row clearing devices struggle with heavy residue, often plugging and failing to generate sufficient torque.
Innovation Solution
A combine equipped with a rear module that integrates tillage, planting, and fertilizing capabilities, using ground-driven and mobile-powered elements to prepare the seedbed and clear heavy residue in a single pass, featuring a cutting disc and rotating blades for residue management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple passes are made across the field for tilling, planting, and fertilizing, then complete operations can be performed, but fuel consumption and operational costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple farming operations (tilling, planting, and fertilizing) into a single integrated system that performs all functions in one pass across the field. The combine harvester is equipped with a rear module containing tillage implements, seed placement mechanisms, and fertilizer application devices, eliminating the need for separate passes for each operation and thereby reducing fuel consumption while maintaining complete operational coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The rear module of the combine harvester is designed as a multi-functional unit that can perform tilling, seed placement, and fertilizer application simultaneously. This universal system allows a single vehicle to complete multiple farming tasks that would traditionally require separate implements and multiple passes, directly reducing energy consumption while improving operational efficiency.
2Device complexity
If ground-contact powered row clearing devices are used, then simple power source is required, but they cannot cope with heavy residue and tend to plug up
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a mobile power source (engine or motor) as an intermediary that provides rotational power to the row clearing devices through drive shafts and transmission mechanisms. This mobile power source enables the devices to handle heavy residue effectively while maintaining a relatively simple overall system architecture, avoiding the need for complex ground-contact powered systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional ground-contact powered mechanical systems with a mobile-powered mechanical transmission system. The mobile power source drives the row clearing devices through mechanical linkages, allowing the system to overcome heavy residue without the plugging problems associated with direct ground contact power transmission, while keeping the power source architecture relatively simple.
3Device complexity
If ground-contact powered seedbed preparation devices are used, then simple power transmission is achieved, but insufficient torque is generated to chop heavy crop residue
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a mobile power source as an intermediary that delivers sufficient rotational torque to the seedbed preparation devices through mechanical transmission systems. This power transmission approach enables effective chopping of heavy crop residue while maintaining relatively simple mechanical linkages, resolving the contradiction between power transmission simplicity and sufficient force generation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the power delivery parameters by using a mobile power source that can provide higher rotational speeds and torque than ground-contact devices. The mechanical transmission system transmits this enhanced power to the seedbed preparation implements, enabling them to chop heavy residue effectively while keeping the overall system architecture simple.
4Adaptability or versatility
If several different implements are used for tilling, planting, and fertilizing, then specialized functions are achieved, but equipment costs and labor requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple specialized implements (tiller, planter, fertilizer applicator) into a single integrated rear module on the combine harvester. This consolidation maintains the functional specialization needed for different farming operations while reducing the total number of separate pieces of equipment required, thereby lowering equipment costs and labor requirements for operation and coordination.
Solution Approach 2:
The rear module is designed as a universal multi-functional system that can perform tilling, seed placement, and fertilizer application. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate specialized implements for each operation, reducing equipment complexity and labor requirements while maintaining the adaptability and functional specialization needed for different farming tasks.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Reduces fuel consumption by over 50% and saves approximately $75,000 annually, while effectively handling heavy residue and preparing the seedbed for planting, thus enhancing operational efficiency and reducing costs.
Implementation Method 1
It has elements that are ground driven by engaging the soil passing under the machine
Implementation Method 2
two adjacent mechanically powered rotating cutting blades that are shaped to fluff the soil that will be the seedbed and chop residue still in its path while also moving it aside
Implementation Method 3
This provides the ability to engage the soil and residue at a speed directly proportional to the velocity over the ground of the machine
Data Source
AI summary
A rear module, as illustrated with tanks, seed blowers, and transfer pump for fertilizer is mounted on the existing design frame, axle, and steering system; but it is a separate, distinct module. The planting module and the harvesting module must be disconnected from the common front module power unit and switched for planting row crops or harvesting. The harvesting configuration can have an attachment to the header to seed non row crops, such as, a cover crop like rye or canola. Such rear module can be the rear unit of an articulated vehicle, such as a harvester.