Composite Harvester Spout Weight Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
As forage harvester heads become wider, the increased distance between the harvester and the hopper requires longer spouts, but conventional extensions lead to significant weight and deflection issues, causing inconsistent crop material delivery and premature spout failure due to bending.
Innovation Solution
A composite discharge spout with a lighter weight material combination, featuring a tubular structure formed by integrally connected upper and side walls with spines, and a sacrificial liner to reduce weight and enhance strength, along with an actuator assembly for adjusting the spout tip to maintain consistent material flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of stationary object
If conventional steel spout extensions are used to increase spout length, then the spout can reach the hopper, but the weight increases significantly causing deflection and premature failure
Solution Approach 1:
The spout is constructed using composite materials (such as fiber-reinforced polymers) instead of conventional steel, achieving a strength-to-weight ratio that allows longer spout length while significantly reducing overall weight, thereby preventing deflection and premature failure
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the material parameters by transitioning from homogeneous steel to composite materials with different mechanical properties, enabling the spout to maintain structural integrity at reduced weight and increased length
2Length of stationary object
If conventional steel spout extensions are used to increase spout length, then the spout can reach the hopper, but deflection increases causing inconsistent crop material delivery
Solution Approach 1:
Composite materials provide high stiffness-to-weight ratios that minimize deflection under the same load conditions, ensuring consistent crop material delivery while enabling the spout to extend longer reaches
Solution Approach 2:
The spout is divided into modular sections that can be independently supported or adjusted, reducing overall deflection by breaking the long continuous structure into shorter, more stable segments
3Strength
If conventional steel spouts are used, then structural strength is maintained, but weight is excessive and economic viability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
Composite materials such as carbon fiber or glass fiber reinforced polymers provide equivalent or superior strength to steel while weighing significantly less, improving economic viability through reduced material costs and easier handling
Solution Approach 2:
The spout structure uses locally reinforced composite construction, applying additional material or structural reinforcement only in areas requiring maximum strength, while other areas use lighter construction to reduce overall weight
Data Source
AI summary
A composite discharge spout portion for a discharge spout for a forage harvester defines at least a portion of a path for crop materials. The spout portion may include a proximal end, a distal end, an upper wall and a pair of side walls extending between the proximal end and distal end. The side walls depend from the upper wall, and the top and side walls have opposite major faces and edges. A spine may be integrated into each of the side walls and extends between the proximal and distal ends, with each of the spines forming a tubular structure on either side of the spout portion. The upper wall, the side walls and the spines may be integrally formed of a composite material.