Axial Flow Combine Cob Separation Grates
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current combine harvesters inefficiently separate whole corn cobs from other residues, leading to broken cobs that are prone to mold and decay, requiring costly storage in dry environments, and fail to meet commercial demand for whole cobs.
Innovation Solution
Axial flow combines with horizontally arranged rotors, featuring concaves for kernel separation and specially designed cob separation grates with elongated slots to allow whole cobs to pass through while rejecting lighter debris, enhancing the separation efficiency and reducing grain losses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If conventional combine harvesters use traditional grates to separate corn residues, then lighter debris (MOGC) can be removed, but whole corn cobs cannot be effectively recovered and are instead broken into segments
Solution Approach 1:
The grate is divided into multiple sections with different slot configurations. The first grate section has slots oriented at a first angle to initial separation, while the second grate section has slots oriented at a second angle to further separate whole cobs from MOGC. This segmented approach allows progressive separation without breaking cobs.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces angular orientation as a new dimension for separation. By orienting grate slots at different angles in different sections, the system exploits the dimensional difference in orientation to achieve separation based on cob orientation during threshing, rather than relying solely on size or density differences.
2Productivity
If traditional single-angle grates are used for separation, then the structure is simple, but separation efficiency of whole cobs from MOGC is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The grate structure is segmented into multiple sections, each with slots oriented at different angles. This segmentation allows the system to handle different separation tasks in different zones, improving overall separation efficiency while maintaining a modular structure that is relatively easy to manufacture and maintain.
Solution Approach 2:
The multi-section grate serves multiple separation functions within a single component. Each section is optimized for a specific separation angle, allowing the entire grate assembly to handle various orientations of corn residues and cobs, making it a universal separation device for different crop conditions.
3Ease of operation
If corn cobs are broken into segments during threshing, then they can pass through smaller openings, but the broken cobs are prone to mold and decay requiring costly dry storage
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts whole corn cobs from the threshed material stream before they can be broken into segments. By using multi-section grates with specifically oriented slots, whole cobs are separated and removed from the mixture of kernels and MOGC, preserving their integrity and preventing the mold and decay issues associated with broken cobs.
Solution Approach 2:
The separation of whole cobs occurs during the threshing process itself, before the cobs have a chance to be broken by subsequent handling. This preliminary separation action ensures cobs remain intact throughout the harvesting process, eliminating the need for costly dry storage facilities to prevent deterioration.
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 solution significantly increases the recovery of whole, unbroken corn cobs, reducing grain losses and enabling efficient separation, thus meeting commercial demand for whole cobs, which can be stored without the need for dry environments, lowering storage costs.
Implementation Method 1
Axial flow combines with horizontally arranged rotors... The crop material is subjected to a much longer threshing and separation cycle than in conventional combines... the efficiency of axial flow machines is greater. A higher degree of separation is reached and the grain losses are reduced.
Implementation Method 2
The crop material is subjected to a much longer threshing and separation cycle than in conventional combines and therefore, the efficiency of axial flow machines is greater.
Implementation Method 3
featuring concaves for kernel separation... separating first the kernels, through concaves on the front portion of the rotor
Implementation Method 4
specially designed cob separation grates with elongated slots to allow whole cobs to pass through while rejecting lighter debris... separate the whole cobs, through grates, from the straw or material other than cobs and grain
Data Source
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AI summary
A dual action corn cob separation and attendant corn cob separator, having a plurality of generally vertical or generally longitudinally elongated slots (30), and having disposed therebetween at least one generally vertical or longitudinal in-line row of smaller slots (19) or openings, whereby whole corn cobs can be more effectively harvested.