Auger Cover Deflects Grain to Prevent Centrifugal Loss

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Solution Overview

Problem

In smaller combines, the close placement of components leads to issues where clean grain auger is prone to flinging grain due to centrifugal forces, causing inefficiency and grain loss as it gets caught in the forced air stream from the cleaning fan, reducing the combine's cleaning capacity.

Innovation Solution

An auger assembly with an auger, auger trough, and an auger cover that directs flung crop material back towards the auger or trough, preventing loss and increasing fill efficiency by redirecting grain away from the cleaning fan's air stream.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Volume of moving object

If the clean grain auger is placed closer to the cleaning fan to save space, then the combine can be smaller, but grain is flung by centrifugal forces and caught in the forced air stream, causing grain loss and reduced cleaning capacity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecombine sizeVSAvoidgrain loss

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

A deflecting cover is introduced as an intermediary component between the auger and the cleaning fan. This cover redirects flung grain away from the forced air stream, preventing grain loss while allowing the auger to remain in its space-saving position near the cleaning fan.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The deflecting cover captures the harmful effect of centrifugal force that flings grain outward and redirects it beneficially back toward the auger trough, converting what would be grain loss into effective grain conveyance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

2Volume of moving object

If the clean grain auger is placed closer to the cleaning fan, then space is saved, but grain flung by centrifugal forces gets caught in the forced air stream, reducing cleaning capacity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecombine sizeVSAvoidcleaning capacity

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The deflecting cover serves as a mediator that protects the grain conveyance process from interference by the cleaning fan's air stream, ensuring that grain is not blown away and cleaning capacity is maintained despite close component placement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The deflecting cover applies preliminary anti-action by redirecting flung grain before it can be caught by the forced air stream from the cleaning fan, preventing the harmful interaction before it reduces cleaning capacity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

3Volume of moving object

If components are placed closer together to save space, then the combine size decreases, but grain flinging increases due to centrifugal forces

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecombine sizeVSAvoidgrain flinging

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The deflecting cover is positioned as an intermediary structure between the auger flighting and the surrounding environment, capturing and redirecting flung grain that would otherwise be lost due to centrifugal forces from close component placement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system converts the harmful grain flinging caused by centrifugal forces into a beneficial effect by redirecting the flung grain back toward the auger trough using the deflecting cover, turning potential loss into effective grain transport.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

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

The auger cover effectively redirects flung grain, enhancing fill efficiency and preventing grain loss due to the cleaning fan's air stream, thereby improving the combine's cleaning capacity.

Implementation Method 1

As the clean grain auger rotates to convey clean grain to the elevator, grain can be flung due to centrifugal forces

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCentrifugal forces: Centrifugal Force

Implementation Method 2

a cleaning fan or blower is positioned so as to blow air up through the cleaning sieves. This flow of air tends to blow the MOG, which is typically lighter than grain, rearwardly and out the back of the combine

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectForced air stream: Forced Convection

Implementation Method 3

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCentrifugal forces: Centrifugal Force

Data Source

PatentUS10485180B2Agricultural harvester auger assembly with crop material deflecting cover

Publication Date: 2019.11.26 BLUE LEAF I P INC

AI summary

An agricultural harvester includes an auger assembly including an auger having an auger shaft defining an axis of rotation and a fighting carried by the auger shaft, the auger being configured to rotate the fighting in a sweeping path about the axis of rotation and convey cleaned crop material toward the crop material elevator; an auger trough placed adjacent to the auger to hold crop material in the sweeping path; and an auger cover held above the sweeping path that is configured to direct flung crop material toward the auger and/or the auger trough.