Asparagus Pick-Up Rollers With Interfering Members to Prevent Spear Loss
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing asparagus harvesters face issues such as impaired valve unit operation due to low ambient temperatures, spear ejection during harvesting, and disordered spear storage, leading to inefficiencies and losses.
Innovation Solution
Incorporation of a heater to maintain valve unit temperature, spear guides to prevent lateral ejection, and counter-rotating rollers with interfering members to stabilize spear conveyance, along with a bin system for controlled storage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of stationary object
If the harvester operates in low ambient temperatures, then harvesting can continue in cold weather, but the valve unit operation becomes impaired due to cold temperatures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by heating the valve unit to change its temperature parameter from cold ambient conditions to an optimal operating temperature range. This ensures the valve unit maintains reliable operation (sealing and actuation) even when the overall harvester operates in cold weather conditions, resolving the contradiction between continuous harvesting and valve reliability.
2Ease of operation
If the pick-up apparatus lifts asparagus spears without additional constraints, then the spears can be easily engaged and lifted, but the spears may eject laterally outward from the pick-up apparatus during conveyance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary anti-action by introducing interfering members that preemptively counteract the lateral ejection tendency of spears during conveyance. These members create constraints that prevent the harmful lateral movement before it can cause spear loss, while still allowing the pick-up rollers to easily engage and lift the spears from the ground.
3Device complexity
If the severed spears are conveyed without guiding structures, then the conveyance system is simpler, but the spears may fall to the ground and become lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses spear guides as intermediary structures that mediate between the pick-up apparatus and the ground. These guides provide a controlled path for the spears during conveyance, preventing them from falling to the ground while adding minimal structural complexity to the overall system.
4Productivity
If the spears are stored in an unorganized manner, then the storage process is faster and simpler, but the spears become entangled and occupy excessive space
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by organizing spears into stacked arrangements during the storage process rather than allowing random deposition. This preliminary organization prevents entanglement and optimizes space utilization before the storage container becomes full, maintaining both storage speed and space efficiency.
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
Ensures consistent severing operation at low temperatures, reduces spear loss, and organizes storage efficiently, enhancing overall harvesting efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a heater mounted proximate to the valve unit and configured to sufficiently heat the valve unit to enable the valve unit to switch between the firing position and the holding position in the presence of an ambient temperature sufficiently low to impair the valve unit from sufficiently switching
Data Source
AI summary
An asparagus harvester includes a chassis movable over a bed of growing asparagus. Spears above a selected height are severed at the ground by a severing assembly. A conveyor receives from a pick-up apparatus and conveys away the severed asparagus spears to bin. In one embodiment, counter-rotating rollers of the pick-up apparatus have interfering members configured to disable the severed asparagus spears when being engaged and lifted by and between them from passing outwardly from between their trailing ends. In another embodiment, a partition in the bin cooperates with it to define a confined volume open to receive severed asparagus spears from the conveyor. A drive assembly actuates to displace the bin relative to the partition to increase the confined volume to enable it to accept more severed asparagus spears each time a sensor senses severed asparagus spears at a fill level of the confined volume.