Dual Header for Agricultural Harvesters

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing agricultural harvesters are inefficient in handling intercropped crops, as they lack the capability to separately collect and process different types of crops effectively, which can lead to suboptimal processing settings and reduced benefits from intercropping practices.

Innovation Solution

A header for agricultural harvesters featuring two separate lateral crop transporting mechanisms, a crop separating mechanism, and tailored processing settings for each crop type, allowing for the independent collection and processing of intercropped materials while maximizing the positive effects of intercropping.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a single lateral crop transporting mechanism is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the capability to separately process different crop types is lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecapability to handle intercropped cropsVSAvoidnumber of lateral crop transporting mechanisms

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The single lateral crop transporting mechanism is divided into two separate mechanisms positioned at different locations. Each mechanism independently transports a specific crop type (e.g., corn and soybeans) to its own opening, enabling separate processing while maintaining manageable system complexity through functional segmentation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Productivity

If crop material is mixed during transportation, then the processing can be simplified, but the optimization of processing settings for each crop type is lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprocessing efficiencyVSAvoidprocessing optimization for different crop types

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The feeder opening is segmented into multiple separate openings, with each opening receiving only one type of crop material through its dedicated lateral transporting mechanism. This ensures that processing settings can be optimized for each crop type (corn vs. soybeans) independently, improving processing efficiency and adaptability simultaneously

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Adaptability or versatility

If separate openings for different crop types are provided, then the processing optimization is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveseparate processing capabilityVSAvoidnumber of openings and transporting mechanisms

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Different regions of the header are assigned different functions: one lateral transporting mechanism and opening dedicated to corn, another to soybeans. This local differentiation allows each section to be optimized for its specific crop type while the overall system remains integrated and manageable

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP3269225B1Dual header

Publication Date: 2020.09.23 CNH IND BELGIUM NV

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AI summary

Header (2) for an agricultural harvester (1), the header (2) comprising a connector adapted to be connected to a feeder (4) of the agricultural harvester (1), the header (2) further comprising a cutter bar (5) and a first lateral crop transporting mechanism (6) to move crop material towards a first opening at the connector, wherein the header further comprises a second lateral crop transporting mechanism (8) provided at a distance from the first lateral crop transporting mechanism (6), the second lateral crop transporting mechanism (8) being provided to move crop material towards a second opening at the connector, the second opening being different from the first opening.