Asymmetrical Feed Beater for Combine Harvester Rotor
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Solution Overview
Problem
Prior art combine harvester feed arrangements primarily insert cut crop material rearward into the central region of the feed housing, leading to jamming and uneven feeding into the gap between the rotor and rotor housing, which hampers the threshing and separating process.
Innovation Solution
A feed beater arrangement for single-rotor axial-flow combine harvesters featuring blades fixed to the cylinder at specific angles and lengths, with first blades spiraling in one direction and second blades in the opposite direction, along with straight blades, to draw cut crop material both rearward and laterally into the feed housing, ensuring better distribution and reduced jamming.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the feed beater inserts cut crop material primarily rearward into the central region of the feed housing, then the feed beater structure is simple, but the crop material jams in the rotor housing and does not feed evenly
Solution Approach 1:
The feed beater employs asymmetrical blade configuration where first blades extend from the first end portion and second blades extend from the second end portion, with different longitudinal extents. This asymmetrical arrangement distributes crop material evenly across the feed housing width rather than concentrating it centrally, preventing jams while maintaining reliable feeding into the rotor gap
Solution Approach 2:
The feed beater is segmented into multiple functional blade groups: first blades for engaging crop at the first end, second blades for engaging crop at the second end, and straight blades extending parallel to the axis. This segmentation allows different blade portions to perform specialized functions in distributing material across the feed housing width, improving feeding reliability
2Reliability
If the feed beater pulls cut crop material inward towards a central region of the roller, then the width of cut crop material is reduced into a thicker mat, but the crop material does not feed well into the rotor gap
Solution Approach 1:
Different regions of the feed beater are assigned different functions: the first blades and second blades at the ends provide lateral outward distribution to spread material across the feed housing width, while the straight blades in the central region provide inward pulling to form a thick mat. This local differentiation ensures material is distributed evenly and feeds reliably into the rotor gap
3Reliability
If the first blades have greater longitudinal extent than the second blades, then cut crop material is distributed laterally across the feed housing, but the blade configuration becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The feed beater intentionally employs asymmetrical blade configuration where first blades extend from the first end portion and second blades extend from the second end portion, with different longitudinal extents. This asymmetrical arrangement distributes crop material evenly across the feed housing width rather than concentrating it centrally, preventing jams while maintaining reliable feeding into the rotor gap
Solution Approach 2:
The blade configuration utilizes different angular parameters and longitudinal extent parameters for first blades versus second blades. The first blades are disposed at a first angle with respect to the rotational axis while second blades are disposed at a second angle, with the first longitudinal extent being greater than the second longitudinal extent. These parameter variations enable effective lateral distribution of crop material across the feed housing
Data Source
AI summary
A feed beater (114) for a single-rotor, axial-flow combine (100) that comprises a cylinder (200) having a first end portion and a second end portion; first blades (202) fixed to the first end portion of the cylinder (200) and disposed at a first angle (alpha) with respect to a rotational axis (300) of the cylinder (200); second blades (204) fixed to the second end portion of the cylinder (200) and disposed at a second angle (beta) with respect to the rotational axis (300) of the cylinder (200); the first blades (202) spiral in a first direction over a first longitudinal extent of the cylinder (200); and the second blades (204) spiral in a second direction over a second longitudinal extent of the cylinder (200), wherein the second direction is opposite to the first direction, and further wherein the first longitudinal extent is greater than the second longitudinal extent.