Crop Ramp Belt Guide Roller to Reduce Draper Belt Wear
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional agricultural harvester headers experience excessive wear and tear on draper belts and crop ramps due to friction between the conveyor's fore edge and the crop ramp, leading to frequent maintenance and reduced service life.
Innovation Solution
A crop ramp with a curved plate and a roller support system that allows the conveyor's fore edge to contact the roller's outer surface, maintaining tracking and eliminating direct contact with the interior of the crop ramp, thereby reducing friction and wear.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the lateral draper conveyors are sloped forwardly and downwardly to deliver cut crop, then the conveyor can effectively transport crop material, but the fore edge of the upper run contacts the inner surfaces of the crop ramps causing friction and wear
Solution Approach 1:
A guide roller is introduced as an intermediary element between the draper conveyor and the crop ramp. The guide roller contacts the fore edge of the conveyor's upper run and guides it to contact the outer surface of the ramp instead of the inner surface, thereby eliminating direct harmful contact between the conveyor and the ramp while maintaining effective crop delivery
2Ease of operation
If the conveyor fore edge contacts the inner surface of the crop ramp, then crop material can be directed onto the conveyor, but friction and wear occur reducing service life
Solution Approach 1:
The guide roller serves as a mediator that redirects the conveyor fore edge to contact the outer surface of the crop ramp. This intermediary mechanism maintains the necessary guidance function for crop flow while eliminating the harmful friction and wear that would occur with direct contact between the conveyor and the inner ramp surface
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of allowing the conveyor to contact the inner surface of the ramp as conventionally designed, the guide roller inverts the contact point to the outer surface of the ramp. This inversion eliminates the harmful effects of friction and wear on the inner surface while maintaining the functional requirement of guiding crop material onto the conveyor
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
The solution minimizes friction and wear on both the conveyor and crop ramp, extending their service life and reducing maintenance needs.
Implementation Method 1
The roller has an outer circumferential surface configured to be contacted by a fore edge of an upper run of an endless belt draper conveyor in order maintain tracking of the conveyor and eliminate contact between the conveyor and the interior of the crop ramp
Data Source
AI summary
A crop ramp for a header of an agricultural harvester including a curved plate having an outer surface over which cut crop passes and an inner surface. The crop ramp further includes a roller support extending rearwardly from the curved plate and a roller supported for rotation by the roller support. The roller has an outer circumferential surface configured to be contacted by a fore edge of an upper run of an endless belt draper conveyor in order maintain tracking of the conveyor and eliminate contact between the conveyor and the interior of the crop ramp.