Auger Assembly Pivoting for Header Terrain Adaptation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Agricultural harvesters face challenges in maintaining a consistent cutting height on uneven terrain due to the slow response of cutter bar assemblies, leading to uneven crop stubble and increased stress on the header and implement interface, which results in wear and maintenance issues.
Innovation Solution
An intermediate frame assembly that facilitates pivoting of the header and auger assembly, allowing the cutter bar to follow terrain contours and maintain a consistent cutting height, while the auger assembly pivots to efficiently transfer crops to the processing system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the cutter bar assembly is made rigid to maintain structural stability, then the header cannot adapt quickly to uneven terrain, but making it flexible enough to follow terrain contours increases structural complexity and stress on components
Solution Approach 1:
The header is divided into multiple independently pivotable sections (cutter bar assembly, intermediate frame assembly, auger assembly), each capable of moving relative to the others. This segmentation allows each section to adapt to terrain variations independently while maintaining overall structural integrity, resolving the contradiction between rigidity and flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic pivot joints between the cutter bar assembly, intermediate frame assembly, and auger assembly. These joints allow the structures to transition from a static rigid configuration to a dynamic adaptable configuration, enabling quick response to terrain changes without permanently increasing structural complexity.
2Manufacturing precision
If the cutter bar assembly responds quickly to terrain changes by being highly flexible, then cutting height consistency improves, but stress on the header and implement interface increases causing wear and maintenance issues
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the header into multiple pivotable assemblies, the stress from terrain adaptation is distributed across multiple joints and components rather than concentrated in a single flexible structure. This reduces wear on individual components while maintaining cutting height consistency.
Solution Approach 2:
The intermediate frame assembly acts as a buffer or cushioning element between the cutter bar and the main header structure. It absorbs and dampens the stresses generated during terrain adaptation, protecting the implement interface and other components from excessive wear while allowing the cutter bar to maintain consistent cutting height.
3Productivity
If the auger assembly is rigidly fixed to the header, then structural stability is maintained, but the auger cannot efficiently transfer crops when the header pivots on uneven terrain
Solution Approach 1:
The auger assembly is mounted on the intermediate frame assembly through pivot joints, making it dynamically connected rather than rigidly fixed. This allows the auger to automatically adjust its position and orientation as the header pivots on uneven terrain, maintaining efficient crop transfer capability without requiring complex active control systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The auger assembly is merged with the intermediate frame assembly, which itself is integrated with the cutter bar and header structure. This merging creates a unified pivotable unit where the auger naturally follows the motion of the header, eliminating the need for separate mounting mechanisms while maintaining crop transfer efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
An auger assembly includes an auger configured to convey agricultural crops from an agricultural header toward an agricultural crop processing system and one or more brackets rotatably coupled to the auger. The one or more brackets are moveably coupled to an intermediate frame assembly coupled to the agricultural header, and the intermediate frame assembly enables the agricultural header to pivot with respect to a longitudinal axis relative to an intermediate frame of the intermediate frame assembly.