Crop Residue Spreader Gap Structure for Plug-Free Discharge
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing crop residue spreaders in agricultural harvesters face issues with crop material bridging across impeller housing and distribution hood dividers, leading to plugging and interrupting harvester operation.
Innovation Solution
A crop residue spreader design featuring a common structural member that independently supports the spreader frame and distribution hood, forming a gap for residue exit without binding, combined with an oscillating deflector for uniform distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the distribution hood is connected directly to the spreader frame, then the structure is simplified and easier to manufacture, but crop material bridges across the impeller housing and distribution hood divider to plug or block the spreader
Solution Approach 1:
The distribution hood is separated from the spreader frame by introducing an independent support structure (channel steel members) that stands apart from the spreader frame. This segmentation creates a physical gap between the distribution hood and the spreader frame, preventing crop material from bridging across and plugging the system while maintaining structural integrity through the independent support members.
2Productivity
If the distribution hood is positioned close to the impellers for efficient residue distribution, then the distribution effectiveness is improved, but crop residue may bind between the spreader frame and distribution hood
Solution Approach 1:
The support structure (channel steel members) is specifically positioned to provide localized support for the distribution hood while maintaining an appropriate gap. This creates a local quality difference where the hood is close enough to impellers for effective distribution but far enough to prevent binding, optimizing both distribution efficiency and preventing harmful residue accumulation.
3Device complexity
If a common structural member supports both the spreader frame and distribution hood, then the overall structure is more compact, but crop material can still bridge across and block the exit path
Solution Approach 1:
The independent support structure (channel steel members) acts as an intermediary between the distribution hood and the spreader frame. This intermediary element provides the necessary structural connection while maintaining a physical separation that prevents crop material from bridging across the exit path, ensuring smooth residue flow while maintaining structural compactness.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A crop residue spreader (36) for an agricultural harvester (20) having a spreader frame (42) with counter-rotating impellers (44) for discharging crop residue (28, 32) and a distribution deflector (62) mounted in close proximity to the impellers for deflecting crop residue discharged by the impellers. A common structural member (66) independently supports both the spreader frame and the distribution deflector, such that the distribution deflector does not contact the spreader frame and connects to the spreader frame only indirectly through the common structural member, forming a gap (68) between the spreader frame and the distribution deflector across the discharge area to provide clearance for discharged crop residue to exit the spreader.