Elastic Yoke Crop Pick-Up for Uneven Ground Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional crop pick-up systems are limited to working widths of about 2 to 3 meters on uneven ground, resulting in significant dirt ingress and raking losses due to rigid shaft arrangements that fail to adapt to changing ground contours.
Innovation Solution
An elastic yoke connects multiple means of locomotion, allowing vertical movement and adjustment of support elements relative to each other, enabling flexible adaptation of the pick-up tools to ground contours without additional actuators, thereby increasing working widths and improving ground tracking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a rigid shaft arrangement is used to maintain structural stability, then the structural strength is improved, but the adaptability to ground contours deteriorates, limiting working width to 2-3 meters on uneven ground
Solution Approach 1:
The rigid shaft arrangement is divided into multiple segments that can move independently relative to each other. Each segment is supported by separate means of locomotion (wheels or runners) that can vertically offset to follow ground contours, while the segments remain connected through flexible couplings. This segmentation allows the pick-up to adapt to uneven ground while maintaining overall structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The shaft arrangement transitions from a static rigid structure to a dynamic system where segments can adjust their relative positions vertically. The flexible couplings between segments allow dynamic adaptation to changing ground conditions, enabling the pick-up to maintain operational effectiveness across varying terrain while preserving structural strength through controlled flexibility.
2Adaptability or versatility
If additional actuators are added to each segment for independent height adjustment, then the adaptability to ground contours is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The means of locomotion (wheels or runners) are designed to passively follow the ground contour without requiring active height control actuators. The vertical offset capability is inherent in the locomotion means themselves, which can naturally adapt to ground elevation changes. This self-service approach eliminates the need for complex actuation systems while maintaining excellent ground tracking capability.
Solution Approach 2:
Flexible couplings or linkages connect the shaft segments, allowing them to accommodate vertical displacements without rigid constraints. These flexible connections enable the segments to move independently to follow ground contours while maintaining mechanical continuity, achieving ground adaptation through structural flexibility rather than active actuation.
3Productivity
If the working width is increased beyond 2-3 meters on uneven ground, then the productivity is improved, but the dirt ingress and raking losses increase due to inability to track ground contour
Solution Approach 1:
The pick-up is divided into multiple segments, each with its own means of locomotion and shaft section. This segmentation allows each segment to independently track ground contours, maintaining proper tine-to-ground distance across the entire working width. Consequently, productivity is enhanced through wider operation while dirt ingress and raking losses are minimized by preserving correct operational geometry across all segments.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The flexible design allows for significantly wider working widths with reduced dirt ingress and raking losses, ensuring reliable functionality and efficient crop collection across varying terrain.
Implementation Method 1
the yoke can be elastically deformed in such a way that a relative movement vertical to the yoke axis is made possible
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a harvested crop pick-up (10), with at least three locomotion means (12) and with at least one yoke (16) which connects the locomotion means (12), wherein there are furthermore supporting elements (18) which are connected to the yoke (16) and/or to the locomotion means (12) and have a shaft bearing (20) in which a shaft (22), to which receiving tools (24) for conveying the harvested crop are connected, is guided. The invention is distinguished in that at least one further locomotion means (12) is provided between two outer locomotion means (12), and the yoke (16) is elastically deformable in such a manner that a relative movement of the further locomotion means (12) in relation to the outer locomotion means (12) in the vertical direction with respect to the axis of the yoke (16) is possible.