Inclined Conveyor Reversing Torque for Blockage Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing feederhouse designs in harvesting machines face issues with blockages due to varying crop types and conditions, leading to uneven flow and potential damage, as stalks or weeds can wind around drive and deflection shafts, causing clogs that are difficult to resolve without significant effort.
Innovation Solution
The feederhouse is equipped with a drive system that can reverse operation, increasing drive torque to prevent slipping of drive belts and using smooth belts and drive wheels to prevent crop entanglement, along with a device that automatically increases torque and tension during reverse operation to ensure continuous conveying.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the drive system operates in reverse to remove blockages, then blockages can be eliminated, but the drive belts may slip on drive wheels due to insufficient drive torque
Solution Approach 1:
The drive system dynamically changes its torque transmission characteristics based on operation mode. During reverse operation, the differential mechanism automatically redistributes torque to provide increased drive torque to the drive belts, preventing slipping when clearing blockages without requiring a completely separate high-torque reverse drive system
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the torque parameter dynamically by utilizing the differential mechanism's inherent properties. When the driven shafts rotate in opposite directions (as during reverse operation for blockage removal), the differential mechanism automatically adjusts torque distribution, providing higher torque to overcome the increased resistance and prevent belt slipping
2Force
If textured drive belts and drive wheels are used to prevent slipping, then torque transmission is improved, but crop components can entangle and wind around the shafts
Solution Approach 1:
The drive belts are designed with localized texture patterns only in specific contact zones with the drive wheels, rather than across the entire surface. This provides sufficient friction for torque transmission at the contact points while leaving other areas smooth to prevent crop entanglement and winding around the shafts
Solution Approach 2:
The drive belt surface is segmented into different zones: textured contact zones for torque transmission and smooth non-contact zones for crop flow. This segmentation allows each zone to perform its specific function optimally without interfering with the other
3Productivity
If the feederhouse width is increased to handle higher crop throughput, then area output is improved, but the complexity of handling diverse crop types and conditions increases
Solution Approach 1:
The drive system with differential mechanism serves multiple functions: normal forward operation for crop conveying, reverse operation for blockage removal, and automatic torque adjustment for diverse crop conditions. This multi-functionality allows the same hardware to adapt to various crop types and operational requirements without increasing feederhouse width or complexity
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 allows for efficient removal of blockages by reversing the conveyor direction and increasing torque and tension, ensuring a smooth flow of crops without slipping or entanglement, thus preventing damage and maintaining operation even with diverse crop conditions.
Implementation Method 1
the drive torque transmitted from the drive wheels to the drive belt being increased in this reverse operation
Implementation Method 2
a device that automatically increases torque and tension during reverse operation to ensure continuous conveying
Data Source
AI summary
An inclined conveyor of a harvesting machine has at least two endless drive belts (19, 19a, 19b and 19c) running parallel to each other, which encircle at least two shafts (15 and 17) spaced apart from each other and rotatably mounted in an inclined conveyor housing. Conveyor bars (29) are arranged between the drive belts (19, 19a, 19b and 19c), running parallel to the shafts (15 and 17) and attached to each of the drive belts (19, 19a, 19b and 19c). A shaft is designed as a drive shaft (15) and is provided with drive wheels (16, 16a, 16b and 16c) for each of the drive belts (19, 19a, 19b and 19c), which together form a drive system (51) of the inclined conveyor (3) that drives the inclined conveyor (3) in a conveying direction and transmits a drive torque to the at least two drive belts (19, 19a, 19b and 19c).In order to easily eliminate blockages of a conveying channel (11) of the inclined conveyor housing (10) with harvested crop, the drive system (51) should be reversible into a reversing operation and a device for increasing the drive torque transmitted from the drive wheels (16, 16a, 16b and 16c) to the drive belts (19, 19a, 19b and 19c) should be provided, which can be activated in reversing operation.