Draper Header Conveyor Balance Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Agricultural combines with draper headers face issues of overloading and weight imbalance due to conveyor belt slippage or stopping, leading to potential damage and harvesting delays, as crop accumulation can cause the header to tilt or lift off the feederhouse.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of an electronic controller system that monitors conveyor belt loading and slippage using sensors and hydraulic pressure fluctuations, which selectively shuts down auxiliary components like the reel and reciprocating knives to prevent overbalancing by controlling separate hydraulic motors for each conveyor and knife, and provides visual and audible warnings to the operator.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the width of the draper header is increased to harvest more crop, then the harvesting productivity is improved, but the header becomes more sensitive to dislodging forces and weight imbalance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies counterweight principles by using the feederhouse structure and support mechanisms to balance the wide draper header. The feederhouse acts as a counterbalancing structure that provides stable support for the wide header, preventing it from being dislodged by lateral forces or weight imbalance during operation.
2Productivity
If the conveyor belt continues operating while overloaded with cut crop material, then the productivity is maintained, but the crop accumulation causes the header to tilt and lift off the feederhouse
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback control through sensors that detect crop accumulation on the conveyor belt and hydraulic pressure changes. When the system detects that crop material is piling up on one side, it automatically shuts down the reel and reciprocating knives to prevent further crop delivery to the overloaded conveyor, thereby maintaining header balance and preventing dislodgement.
Solution Approach 2:
The system takes preliminary action by detecting crop accumulation before it causes header imbalance. The sensors monitor the conveyor belt load continuously and trigger the shutdown of auxiliary components in advance, preventing the harmful effect of header tilting before it occurs.
3Reliability
If the conveyor belt is stopped to unload accumulated crop, then the header balance is restored, but the harvesting operation is delayed
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-service by automatically detecting and correcting conveyor belt overloading without requiring manual intervention. The electronic controller automatically shuts down the reel and reciprocating knives when crop accumulation is detected, and can automatically restart them when the conveyor is clear, eliminating the need for operators to manually stop and unload the conveyor.
4Reliability
If the drive roller applies high friction to the conveyor belt to prevent slippage, then the crop transport reliability is improved, but the conveyor belt can burn when overloaded
Solution Approach 1:
The system takes preliminary action by detecting crop accumulation and conveyor belt loading conditions before slippage or belt damage occurs. The sensors monitor the conveyor operation continuously and trigger the shutdown of crop-feeding components in advance, preventing the harmful effects of belt slippage and burning before they happen.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses feedback control through sensors that detect conveyor belt loading and slippage conditions. When the system detects that the conveyor is becoming overloaded or slipping, it automatically shuts down the reel and reciprocating knives to reduce the load on the conveyor, thereby preventing belt damage while maintaining reliable crop transport under normal conditions.
Data Source
AI summary
An agricultural combine with draper header includes left and right conveyors, and a microprocessor-based controller coupled to the conveyors to determine whether one of the conveyors is overloaded or slipping.