Bubble Up Auger Without Bearings
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional bubble up augers in combine harvesters are inefficient due to the presence of bearings and bearing hangers, which increase cost, complexity, and power consumption, and cause grain damage and flow restrictions.
Innovation Solution
A bubble-up auger design without a bearing at the upper end of the lower auger section, where the upper and lower auger sections are removably connected via a sliding fit with trapezoidal teeth, eliminating the need for bearings and hangers, allowing for closer proximity of auger flights and reduced power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If bearings and bearing hangers are used in the bubble up auger, then the auger can rotate smoothly, but power consumption increases and grain damage occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the bearing and bearing hanger components from the auger system entirely. Instead of using traditional bearing support, the design allows the auger shaft to rotate directly within the auger tube without intermediate bearing elements, thereby eliminating the energy losses associated with bearing friction and fluid friction in bearing lubrication.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical bearing system with a direct rotation mechanism where the auger shaft rotates within the auger tube without bearing support. This substitution eliminates the need for bearing lubrication and reduces mechanical complexity, achieving smooth rotation through the auger's own structural design rather than through bearing mechanisms.
2Reliability
If bearings and bearing hangers are installed, then rotation is supported, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the bearing and bearing hanger components from the auger assembly. By eliminating these separate support components, the design reduces the number of parts that need to be manufactured, assembled, and maintained, thereby reducing device complexity and cost while still supporting the rotation function through the auger's inherent structure.
3Reliability
If bearing hangers are used, then bearings are supported, but grain flow is restricted and wear increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the bearing hanger components that created flow restrictions in the grain path. By eliminating these intermediate structural elements between the auger flights and the grain flow path, the design allows grain to flow more freely without encountering obstacles or restrictions that would cause wear and reduce efficiency.
4Stability of the object's composition
If the upper auger section is permanently connected to the lower auger section, then structural stability is improved, but adaptability for maintenance and reconfiguration is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the auger system into separate upper and lower auger sections that can be connected or disconnected as needed. This segmentation allows the structure to maintain stability during operation when connected, while providing adaptability for maintenance, repair, or reconfiguration when the sections can be separated. The connection mechanism enables the system to transition between stable and maintainable states.
Data Source
AI summary
A bubble-up auger for a combine harvester includes a rotatable shaft, a lower auger section either mounted to or forming part of the rotatable shaft, and an upper auger section that is removably connected to the lower auger section, and includes an opening through which the shaft is at least partially positioned. The upper auger section is moveable between a first position where the upper auger section is detached from the lower auger section and a second position where the upper auger section is connected to the lower auger section.