Drum-Mounted Conveying Tines With Internal Load Transfer

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing conveyor tine fastening systems for harvesting machines are complex to manufacture, heavy, and inefficient in transferring load to the drum, leading to potential crop entanglement and difficulty in maintenance.

Innovation Solution

A tine fastening system where conveyor tines are attached with insertable parts that transfer load into the drum's interior, using tine holders with clamping parts and support bearings, and a polygonal drum design for easy manufacturing and reduced external parts.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conveyor tines are fastened using traditional external holding plates and screws, then the attachment is secure, but the device weight increases and manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveattachment securityVSAvoiddrum assembly weight

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSWeight of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The holding plate is integrated into the drum shell by forming it as an integral part during drum manufacturing, eliminating the need for separate holding plate components and their fasteners, thereby reducing weight and manufacturing steps while maintaining secure attachment

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The drum shell serves multiple functions: it provides structural support, contains the conveyor tines, and integrates the holding plate function directly into its structure, reducing the need for additional components

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If conveyor tines are fastened using external holding plates, then the attachment is secure, but the number of manufacturing steps and assembly complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveattachment securityVSAvoidmanufacturing and assembly complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The holding plate function is merged into the drum shell structure itself, formed as an integral part during drum manufacturing, eliminating separate components and reducing assembly steps

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The holding plate structure is pre-formed as part of the drum shell during manufacturing, so that during operation only the simple insertion of conveyor tines into recesses is required, eliminating complex assembly procedures

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If load from conveyor tines is transferred to the drum shell from the outside, then the attachment is secure, but crop material can become entangled on external parts

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveattachment securityVSAvoidcrop entanglement

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of transferring load from the outside to the drum shell, the load is transferred from the inside: the conveyor tine base is inserted into recesses in the drum shell, and the holding plate (formed as part of the drum) transfers load internally to the drum structure, eliminating external protruding parts that cause crop entanglement

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

4Ease of repair

If individual conveyor tines need to be replaced, then maintenance is possible, but the complex fastening system makes replacement difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetine replacement capabilityVSAvoidfastening system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of repairVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The fastening system is segmented to allow individual conveyor tines to be independently removed and replaced by simply detaching from the recesses in the drum shell, without affecting other tines or requiring disassembly of complex fastening mechanisms

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The conveyor tine bases are extracted from complex fastening systems and simplified to insertable components that engage with recesses in the drum shell, allowing easy removal and replacement by simply pulling out from the recesses

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentEP3932177B1Pick-up device with conveying tines mounted on a drum

Publication Date: 2025.10.22 B STRAUTMANN & SOHNE GMBH & CO KG

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AI summary

The invention relates to a receiving device (10) for a harvesting or collecting machine, wherein the drum comprises a rotatable drum (11) which is held on a support structure (37), the drum (11) having a drum shell (32) with an outer surface (12) and an inner surface (40), wherein a plurality of conveying tines (13) made of an elastic plastic with a tine base (47) and one or more individual tines (57) are arranged on the drum. Recesses are provided in the drum shell (32) for receiving an insert (49) provided on a tine holder (38) or a mounting projection (48) of the conveying tine. This allows a force (FG) acting on the conveying tines (13) to be directed into the mounting projection or the insert located inside the drum (11), thereby transferring the load to the drum (11) particularly efficiently.