Combine Harvester Chaff Distributor Pendulum Guide Element
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing combine harvester chaff spreaders struggle to distribute chopped material evenly across the field, particularly at the edges, due to the limited deflection angle and throwing distance of guide elements, resulting in lower spreading density towards the field edges compared to the center.
Innovation Solution
A chaff distributor with a pendulum movable guide element and a deformable coupling device that allows continuous rotation of the drive while the guide element is blocked by a stop, ensuring a longer dwell time in a strongly deflected orientation, and includes a spring or damper element to maintain a consistent distribution pattern.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If guide elements swing back and forth to spread chopped material laterally, then the chopped material is distributed over a wider strip, but the spreading density towards the edge of the harvested field becomes significantly lower than in the middle
Solution Approach 1:
The guide elements perform periodic swinging motion to distribute material laterally, but this creates uneven density. The patent applies principle 10 (Preliminary action) by using stops to pre-position the guide elements at extreme deflection angles where material is needed most, ensuring edge zones receive adequate supply before the swinging action begins.
Solution Approach 2:
The stops are positioned to define maximum deflection angles of the guide elements, preparing the system in advance to direct material towards edge zones. This preliminary positioning ensures that when material is ejected, it reaches the edges with sufficient density, counteracting the natural tendency for lower edge density during swinging motion.
2Productivity
If the header width is increased to harvest wider strips, then harvesting efficiency is improved, but it becomes more difficult to distribute chopped material evenly across the entire width
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by positioning stops at different locations for different guide elements, creating localized maximum deflection angles tailored to specific regions. This allows each guide element to optimize its swinging range for its particular position, ensuring even distribution across the entire header width regardless of header size.
Solution Approach 2:
The stops define specific deflection angle parameters for the guide elements. By adjusting the position of stops, the maximum deflection angles can be changed to match different header widths, allowing the system to maintain even distribution across varying widths while preserving harvesting efficiency.
3Quantity of substance
If the guide elements are deflected to strongly deflected positions to reach edge zones, then material supply to edges is improved, but the dwell time in these positions is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The stops are positioned to ensure guide elements reach maximum deflection angles where material supply to edges is critical. By pre-positioning the stops at optimal locations, the system ensures that guide elements spend sufficient time in these strongly deflected positions during each swing cycle, maintaining both edge zone supply and adequate dwell time.
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 ensures improved distribution of chopped material across the entire field width, maintaining even spreading density from the center to the edges by allowing the guide element to rest in a stop position for an extended period, enhancing the supply of edge zones and minimizing material loss.
Implementation Method 1
the coupling device has a deformable element, which is deformable by the driving force of the rotary drive while the guide element is in a position blocked by one of the stops. Due to the deformability of the coupling device, the drive can rotate continuously
Implementation Method 2
The coupling device expediently also comprises a damper element. Such a damper element alone can ensure the deformability of the coupling device; however, it can also be combined with the above-mentioned spring element in order to dampen any vibrations of the spring element which may occur during operation
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~6
Figure 3~11
AI summary
The harvester has a chopping goods distributor with a rotary drive (61). A pendulum-like movable guiding element for controlling along an ejection direction of the chopping goods. A coupling device connects the drive with the guiding element. Mobility of the guiding element is limited by stoppers (66) and the coupling device exhibits a deformable element (67), which is deformable by the driving force of the rotary drive while the guiding element is arranged in a position blocked by one of the stoppers. The deformable element of the coupling device has a spring element.