Quick Attach Corn Reel Finger Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional corn reels require tools for assembly and disassembly, making it difficult to quickly attach or detach fingers from the corn reel axle, which limits their use to specific field sections and complicates storage and replacement.
Innovation Solution
A corn reel finger assembly that allows for tool-free attachment and detachment of fingers from the corn reel axle, using a yoke member and pin system with a catch mechanism, enabling quick adjustment and compact storage, and facilitating replacement of damaged fingers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional corn reel fingers are connected to the axle by welded or bolted mounts, then the connection is strong and reliable, but assembly and disassembly require hand tools and time-consuming procedures
Solution Approach 1:
The finger assembly is divided into separable components: the finger body, the yoke member, and the mount on the axle. This segmentation allows the finger to be quickly attached and detached from the mount without requiring disassembly of the entire assembly, enabling tool-free quick connection and disconnection while maintaining operational reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The yoke member acts as an intermediary component between the finger and the mount. It includes a recess that receives the mount and a pin receiving hole that accommodates a pin member, creating a simplified interface that enables quick tool-free attachment while maintaining a reliable connection during operation
2Reliability
If the corn reel is used to harvest downed corn, then grain loss is reduced, but the corn head speed must be reduced substantially due to the extending fingers
Solution Approach 1:
The finger assembly is designed to be dynamically attachable and detachable during field operations. Operators can quickly attach fingers when encountering downed corn sections and detach them when harvesting standing corn, allowing the system to adapt its configuration to different harvesting conditions and optimize both speed and effectiveness
3Reliability
If fingers are welded directly to the corn reel axle, then the connection is permanent and strong, but damaged fingers require replacement of the entire assembly or complex welding operations
Solution Approach 1:
The finger assembly is segmented into the finger body and the mount, connected through the yoke member with a pin. This segmentation allows individual fingers to be replaced independently without affecting other components, enabling simple field repair by removing the damaged finger and installing a replacement without welding or complex operations
Solution Approach 2:
The yoke member serves as an intermediary that simplifies the connection between the finger and mount. The pin member passing through the yoke's pin receiving hole creates a secure yet easily removable connection, allowing damaged fingers to be quickly replaced in the field without requiring welding equipment or complex disassembly procedures
Data Source
AI summary
A corn reel assembly that allows for quick connection and detachment from a corn reel is provided. The corn reel finger assembly may be quickly assembled and disassembled without the need for tools so that corn reel fingers may be connected or detached from mounts connected to a corn reel axle in the field. By allowing for rapid connection and disconnection of corn reel fingers from mounts, the corn reel fingers may be utilized only in those portions of the field requiring it. Enabling for the elongated fingers of the corn reel finger assembly to be detached from a mount attached to the corn reel axle without requiring disconnection of the mount from the corn reel axle also allows for more compact storage, as well as replacement of individual fingers if damaged, as opposed to replacement of an entire assembly. In some embodiments, adjustments to the particular angle of the fingers relative to the corn stalks being harvested can also be quickly made in the field.