Combine Harvester Feed Beater Drive via Rotor Shaft Coupling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing combine harvesters face challenges in adjusting the speed of the feed beater independently of other crop processing systems without additional components, particularly when dealing with crops like corn or beans that can be damaged by excessive rotation speed, and existing multi-ratio drive systems are cumbersome and costly.
Innovation Solution
A drive system for a combine harvester that utilizes a direct connection between the rotor and the feed beater, utilizing the rotor shaft to transfer torque, eliminating the need for separate drivelines and allowing proportional speed adjustment through a single variator, with options for dual-rotor arrangements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a separate multi-ratio drive system is provided for the feed beater, then independent speed control of the feed beater is achieved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The feed beater drive is merged with the rotor drive system by using the rotor shaft to directly drive the feed beater through a drive connection. This eliminates the need for separate multi-ratio drive systems while maintaining the ability to control feed beater speed independently through the rotor speed control mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotor shaft serves multiple functions: it drives the rotor for crop processing and simultaneously drives the feed beater through the drive connection. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate drive systems while maintaining independent speed control capabilities.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a stepped multi-ratio drive system is used for the feed beater, then speed adjustment capability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to cumbersome adjustments
Solution Approach 1:
The feed beater speed control is merged with the rotor speed control mechanism. By controlling the rotor speed through the variator, the feed beater speed is automatically adjusted proportionally, eliminating the need for separate manual speed adjustments and making operation simpler.
3Device complexity
If long belt drives are used to connect the feed beater and rotor, then drive connection is achieved, but device complexity and space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The long belt drive connection is extracted and replaced by a direct drive connection using the rotor shaft. This eliminates the need for long belts and intermediate pulleys, reducing space requirements and simplifying the drive system while maintaining the drive connection between rotor and feed beater.
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
Enables independent speed control of the feed beater without affecting other systems, reducing component count and operational complexity, and facilitating seamless speed adjustments during harvesting.
Implementation Method 1
the drive connection comprises a first spur gear that is keyed to the rotor shaft in front of the drum
Data Source
AI summary
A combine harvester including one or two axial flow crop processors each with a rotor mounted for rotation inside a rotor housing that is arranged substantially longitudinally with respect to the harvester. A feed beater is mounted for rotation on a substantially transverse axis and serves to tangentially impel crop material into the crop processor(s). A drive system is provided for driving the rotor and the feed beater. A drive connection is provided between the rotor and the feed beater and includes a gear that is keyed to a rotor shaft of the rotor in front of a rotor drum.