Inclined Feeder Driver Strips Crop Acceleration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing combine harvester feederhouses experience high energy consumption, wear, and premature threshing due to significant speed differences between driver strips and crop flow, caused by low frictional contact and limited conveying effect of standard steel profiles.
Innovation Solution
An inclined conveyor with driver strips that overlap at least 30% of the conveyor channel's cross-section, acting like a fan to generate negative pressure and accelerate the crop, using round rods with friction-increasing coatings or casings to enhance the conveying effect and reduce slippage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If standard steel profiles with low profile height are used as driver strips, then the device complexity is reduced and ease of manufacture is improved, but the conveying effect is limited due to low form resistance and smooth surfaces resulting in high slippage
Solution Approach 1:
The driver strips are equipped with friction elements at specific locations (contact surfaces with crop) rather than modifying the entire strip. This allows standard steel profiles to be used for structural integrity while adding localized friction-enhancing features (ribs, protrusions, or friction materials) only where crop contact occurs, improving conveying effect without compromising ease of manufacture
Solution Approach 2:
The friction elements on driver strips feature a ribbed or protruding structure that creates form resistance and increases surface area for crop contact. This porous-like structure enhances the conveying effect by creating mechanical interlocking with the crop, reducing slippage while maintaining the simplicity of the base steel profile
2Weight of moving object
If standard steel profiles with low profile height are used as driver strips, then the weight of the driver strips is reduced, but the frictional contact with harvested crop is very little resulting in high slippage and high energy consumption
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of increasing the weight of entire driver strips, friction elements are added only at the crop-contact surfaces. This localized approach provides the necessary friction and form resistance to reduce slippage and energy consumption while keeping the overall weight of the driver strips minimal
Solution Approach 2:
The friction elements modify the surface parameters of the driver strips by adding ribs or protrusions that increase form resistance and surface area for contact. This changes the interaction parameters between driver strip and crop, improving energy efficiency without increasing the mass of the moving components
3Productivity
If the cross-section of driver strips is increased to improve conveying effect, then the form resistance to harvested crop is increased, but the weight and complexity of the driver strips increases
Solution Approach 1:
Friction elements are added only at the crop-contact surfaces of the driver strips rather than increasing the cross-section of the entire strip. This provides the necessary form resistance and conveying effect while keeping the overall weight and structural complexity of the driver strips minimal
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of increasing the cross-sectional dimensions of driver strips, the invention adds vertical or lateral protrusions (ribs, friction elements) that extend into the crop flow path. This dimensional approach increases form resistance and conveying effect without proportionally increasing the weight of the driver strips
4Device complexity
If there is considerable speed difference between carrier bars and crop flow, then the conveying mechanism is simpler, but this results in high wear, high energy consumption and premature threshing effect
Solution Approach 1:
Friction elements are strategically placed at the crop-contact surfaces of driver strips to locally increase grip and reduce slippage. This reduces the speed difference between carrier bars and crop flow, minimizing premature threshing and wear without requiring complex adjustments to the overall conveying mechanism
Solution Approach 2:
The invention converts the potentially harmful high-speed-difference-induced slippage into beneficial controlled friction through friction elements. These elements increase the frictional contact in a controlled manner, transforming the harmful slippage effect into useful crop acceleration and conveyance while reducing wear and premature threshing
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
This design reduces energy consumption and wear while maintaining conveying capacity, gently conveying the crop with less broken grain and reduced premature threshing.
Implementation Method 1
these act like a fan and generate a negative pressure at the entrance of the conveyor channel. This additionally accelerates the harvested crop
Implementation Method 2
these act like a fan and generate a negative pressure at the entrance of the conveyor channel. This additionally accelerates the harvested crop and aerodynamically supports the conveying effect
Implementation Method 3
If only one round rod is provided per carrier bar, it is necessary that this is provided with a friction-increasing coating, on the one hand to increase the conveying cross-section of the carrier bar and on the other hand to improve the frictional connection with the harvested crop
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
The invention relates to an inclined conveyor (3) for combine harvesters (1), comprising at least two traction means (13) revolving in a conveying channel (9), the conveying channel being subdivided into an overshot return channel (9.2) and an undershot conveying channel (9.1) by separation means (15) arranged between the upper strand (13.1) and the lower strand (13.2) of the traction means, and the traction means (13) being interconnected by drivers (14) that run transversely to the conveying direction and that convey the crop in the undershot conveying channel (9.1). The aim of the invention is to provide an inclined conveyor of the above type, wherein the speed difference between the driver strips and the crop flow is eliminated or at least reduced by additionally accelerating the crop flow. According to the invention, the driver strips (14), in addition to their property as drivers are designed as acceleration elements for the crop, the cross-section of each of the driver strips (14), when seen in the conveying direction, taking up at least 30% of the smallest internal cross-section of the undershot conveying channel (9.1).