Draper Header Deslugging Control via Graduated Resumption
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Solution Overview
Problem
Agricultural harvesting machines face inefficiencies and potential blockages due to slugs or blockages in the crop processing mechanism, which require manual intervention or inefficient deslugging methods, leading to disruptions in crop processing and material distribution.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for operating a draper header that automatically pauses and reverses the feed draper and side drapers during deslugging operations, resuming operation in a graduated progression to prevent re-blockages and ensure efficient crop processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the feed draper and side drapers continue operating during deslugging, then crop material continues to be conveyed, but this causes re-blockages and inefficient clearing of slugs
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements periodic action by automatically pausing the feed draper and side drapers during deslugging operations, then resuming them in a graduated progression after the blockage is cleared. This periodic on/off operation prevents new crop material from being conveyed during critical clearing phases while maintaining productivity when the system is operational, thereby resolving the contradiction between continuous throughput and effective blockage clearance.
2Reliability
If the feed draper is paused during deslugging, then slug clearing efficiency improves, but crop material distribution is disrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies preliminary action by automatically pausing the feed draper and side drapers before and during the deslugging operation. This preliminary pause prevents new crop material from being conveyed onto the drapers while the blockage is being cleared, ensuring that the clearing operation works on isolated material without the complicating factor of continuous material flow, thereby improving clearance effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements dynamics through the graduated progression resumption sequence: the feed draper resumes first after a first predetermined period, then the side drapers resume after a second predetermined period. This dynamic, staged approach to resuming operation allows the system to adaptively restore productivity while maintaining reliable blockage clearance, as each component resumes at the optimal time based on the clearing progress.
3Reliability
If manual intervention is used for deslugging, then blockage removal is possible, but operation continuity is interrupted and labor requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements self-service by incorporating an automatic deslugging sequence that autonomously pauses the feed draper and side drapers, maintains this paused state during the deslugging operation, and then automatically resumes operation in a graduated progression. This eliminates the need for manual intervention while maintaining reliable blockage clearance capability, thereby resolving the contradiction between clearance effectiveness and operational continuity.
Data Source
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AI summary
A system and method of operation of a draper header of an agricultural work machine during a deslugging or clean out operation and after resumption of normal crop processing. During the deslugging or clean out operation, a feed draper is reversed or paused and the at least one side draper is paused. The method includes automatically resuming operation of the feed draper and at least one side draper in a graduated progression for more efficient clearing of the slug or blockage of crop material.