Inclined Conveyor Drive Wheel Hub Wave Contour

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Inclined conveyors in self-propelled harvesters experience noise and unsteady running due to contact between conveyor bars and internal drive wheels, leading to wear issues.

Innovation Solution

The internal drive wheel hub is designed with a wave-shaped contour along its outer peripheral surface, preventing contact with conveyor bars by creating a radial distance through the polygon effect of the belt, thus avoiding noise and wear.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If an internal drive wheel is arranged between outer drive wheels on the drive shaft, then the conveyor can effectively transport crops across the width of the conveyor, but the hub of the internal drive wheel contacts the conveyor bars, causing noise and uneven running

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecrop transport effectivenessVSAvoidnoise and uneven running
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The hub of the internal drive wheel is given a wave-shaped contour instead of a straight cylindrical shape. This curvature allows the conveyor bars to follow the wave profile, creating clearance between the bars and the hub surface, thereby eliminating the contact that causes noise and uneven running while preserving the drive wheel's functional position

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

2Ease of manufacture

If the hub of the internal drive wheel has a straight contour, then the structure is simple and manufacturing is easy, but the conveyor bars contact the hub causing wear and noise

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehub manufacturing simplicityVSAvoidoperational stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The wave-shaped contour is applied to the hub to eliminate harmful contact between conveyor bars and hub surface. The curved profile creates natural clearance that prevents wear and noise while maintaining structural integrity and manufacturability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

3Volume of moving object

If the outer dimension of the mounted belt is small, then the belt is more compact, but the hub of the internal drive wheel contacts the conveyor bars due to insufficient radial clearance

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebelt outer dimensionVSAvoidcontact between hub and conveyor bars
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of moving objectVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The wave-shaped contour on the hub creates radial clearance by following the wave profile, allowing conveyor bars to maintain distance from the hub surface even when the belt outer dimension is reduced. This enables compact belt design without compromising clearance

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

4Productivity

If conveyor bars are arranged to span the width of the conveyor, then effective crop conveyance is achieved, but the bars contact the hub of internal drive wheels causing wear

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecrop conveyance effectivenessVSAvoidwear on drive wheel hub
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The wave-shaped contour creates a profile that follows the conveyor bar path while maintaining clearance, allowing full-width crop conveyance without contact between bars and hub, thereby preventing wear while maintaining productivity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Data Source

PatentEP4124235A1Inclined conveyor and self-propelled harvester with an inclined conveyor
Publication Date: 2023.02.01 CLAAS SELBSTFAHRENDE ERNTEMASCHINEN GMBH
  • EP4124235A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4124235A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4124235A1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

The present invention relates to an inclined conveyor (2) with a housing (13) having opposing housing side walls (14) in which a drive shaft (21) and a deflection shaft (23) are rotatably mounted, wherein at least three drive wheels (4a, 4b) are arranged on the drive shaft (21) and at least three deflection wheels (3) are arranged on the deflection shaft for conveying crop (8), wherein each drive wheel (4a, 4b) has a hub (22a, 22b) extending concentrically to the drive shaft (21) with drivers (25) arranged coaxially to the drive shaft (21), which are designed for the positive and/or non-positive transport of a respective belt (5), wherein adjacent belts (5) are connected to each other by means of conveyor bars (18) arranged parallel to the drive axis (11).wherein two drive wheels (4a) are arranged on the outside of the drive shaft (21) and wherein at least one further drive wheel (4b) is arranged internally between these on the drive shaft (21), wherein the hub (22b) of the at least one further drive wheel (4b) has a wave-shaped contour (29) along its outer circumferential surface (27b).