Inclined Conveyor Ball-Joint Support for Uneven Crop Flow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing inclined conveyors in self-propelled harvesting machines experience uneven deflection shaft rise due to varying crop flow conditions, leading to bearing stress and reduced lifespan.
Innovation Solution
The deflection shaft is supported by support arms with ball joints that allow tilting and rotational movements, featuring spherically shaped sliding surfaces, to compensate for uneven crop flow and reduce bearing stress.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If the deflection shaft is supported rigidly by support arms, then the structural stability is improved, but the bearing wear increases due to uneven crop flow conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The support arm is transformed from a rigid fixed connection to a dynamic articulated connection with a ball joint. This allows the support arm to adapt its position dynamically in response to uneven crop flow conditions, preventing excessive bearing loads while maintaining structural stability. The ball joint enables rotational and tilting movements that accommodate deflection shaft displacement without compromising overall structure integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection parameters between the support arm and housing are changed from fixed to articulated with degrees of freedom. The ball joint introduces rotational and tilting capabilities, changing the mechanical parameters from rigid constraints to flexible jointed connections. This allows the system to adapt to varying operational conditions while maintaining structural stability.
2Ease of manufacture
If the support arm is made rigidly fixed, then the manufacturing simplicity is improved, but the adaptability to uneven crop flow conditions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The support arm incorporates a ball joint that provides dynamic adaptability to uneven crop flow conditions. The articulated connection allows the support arm to tilt and rotate, enabling the deflection shaft to accommodate displacements caused by varying crop flow while maintaining relatively simple manufacturing through standardized joint components.
Solution Approach 2:
The ball joint employs spherical surfaces for the articulated connection between the support arm and housing. This spherical geometry naturally accommodates multi-directional movements including rotation and tilting, providing adaptability to uneven crop flow conditions while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through the use of standard spherical joint designs.
3Strength
If the ball joint allows both rotational and tilting movements, then the bearing stress is reduced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The ball joint provides both rotational and tilting movements through a single articulated connection mechanism. This dynamic capability reduces bearing stress by allowing the deflection shaft to accommodate displacements from uneven crop flow, while the integrated joint design minimizes the increase in overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The spherical surfaces of the ball joint enable both rotational and tilting movements within a single compact component arrangement. The spherical geometry naturally accommodates multi-axis movements, reducing bearing stress while adding minimal complexity to the overall device structure through the use of standard spherical joint architecture.
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 arrangement significantly reduces bearing wear and extends the lifespan of the deflection shaft by accommodating uneven crop flow conditions.
Implementation Method 1
the inner ring and an outer ring are spherically shaped and form sliding surfaces against each other
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to an inclined conveyor (2) for a self-propelled harvesting machine (1) with at least two front deflection rollers (3) and at least two rear drive rollers (4), around which at least two parallel traction elements (5) rotate endlessly, between which conveyor bars (18) extend distributed along the length of the traction elements (5), wherein the front deflection rollers (3) are arranged on a deflection shaft (23) and the rear drive rollers (4) on a drive shaft (21), wherein at least the deflection shaft (23) is supported at its outer ends (24) on a support arm (22), wherein the respective support arm (22) is supported at one end (29) facing away from the deflection shaft (23) by means of a articulated eye (28).