Auger Bed Lateral Leveling for Combine Harvester Slope Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current combine harvesters face inefficiencies and grain loss when operating on side slopes due to the limitations of grain pan systems and fixed auger beds, which struggle to maintain consistent transport rates and capacity, especially on hills and in high-moisture conditions.
Innovation Solution
A laterally adjustable auger bed system with a subframe that can pivot to compensate for side slopes, allowing the auger bed to maintain a level position and ensuring consistent grain transport, combined with an inclination detector and actuator for automatic adjustment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a grain pan system is used to transport grain and chaff, then the system can handle majority of harvest conditions, but the transport rate becomes unstable when harvesting on hills, causing pooling downhill or overload uphill
Solution Approach 1:
The grain pan is replaced with an auger bed system where the auger rotates to actively convey grain and chaff mixture. The rotating auger provides dynamic transport capability that maintains consistent feed rate to the cleaning system regardless of whether the combine is operating on level ground, uphill, or downhill, eliminating the pooling and overload problems of static grain pan systems
Solution Approach 2:
The passive gravitational flow system of the grain pan is replaced with an active mechanical conveyance system using a rotating auger. The auger's rotational motion mechanically pushes the grain-chaff mixture along the trough at a controlled rate, substituting the unreliable gravity-dependent transport with a positive mechanical drive that ensures stable productivity
2Adaptability or versatility
If the entire combine is tilted to address extreme side slopes, then side slope harvesting capability is improved, but the system becomes costly and impractical for use in both level and extreme slope conditions
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of tilting the entire combine chassis to address side slopes, the invention applies the auger bed system locally at the cleaning system level. The auger troughs are positioned and configured to naturally compensate for side slope conditions, providing localized adaptation that maintains cleaning efficiency without requiring complex global combine leveling mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a simple, cost-effective auger bed system that can be easily implemented without expensive specialty equipment. The auger mechanism is a straightforward mechanical solution that provides adequate performance for both level and sloped conditions, replacing the need for costly combine-leveling systems designed for extreme hillside farming
3Productivity
If a grain pan with corrugations is used, then the pan can transport grain and chaff effectively on level ground, but the corrugations become caked over with high-moisture crop material, reducing transport rate
Solution Approach 1:
The corrugated grain pan surface that relies on surface friction and geometry for transport is replaced with a rotating auger that provides positive mechanical conveyance. The auger's rotating flights actively push the grain-chaff mixture along the trough, providing a mechanical drive that is not dependent on surface characteristics and cannot be caked over by moisture, ensuring consistent transport rate
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
This solution enables efficient harvesting on slopes up to 15 degrees, reducing grain loss and maintaining high productivity by ensuring a consistent feed rate and even distribution across the auger bed, even on extreme hills, thereby increasing overall efficiency and yield.
Implementation Method 1
an auger bed including a plurality of augers located side-by-side with their axes positioned generally longitudinally in the machine to convey the grain/chaff mixture from the threshing mechanism to the sieve assembly of the cleaning system at a substantially constant rate
Implementation Method 2
The auger bed is mounted on a subframe which is pivotally mounted to the chassis or other support of the combine
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 2A~2B
AI summary
A cleaning system for use in a combine harvester including an auger bed (6) mounted within a frame such that when the combine harvester is laterally inclined from the horizontal, the cleaning system may be leveled, or substantially leveled to a generally horizontal position.