Flexible Cutting Platform for Ground Contour Following

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current draper platforms in agricultural harvesting machines have a rigid framework that cannot flex to follow ground contours, leading to missed crop material and potential damage from uneven terrain, resulting in reduced harvest efficiency and increased repair costs.

Innovation Solution

A cutting platform with multiple platform sections featuring float arms, a flexible cutterbar assembly, and an endless belt system that allows for localized flexure and movement to follow ground contours, ensuring efficient crop material transport and reduced soil damage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If a rigid framework is used for the draper platform, then structural strength and stability are improved, but the ability to follow ground contours is worsened

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural strengthVSAvoidability to follow ground contours

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The platform is divided into multiple independently supported sections with float arms, allowing each section to adapt to ground contours while maintaining overall structural integrity through the rigid framework

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The float arms provide controlled mobility to the cutterbar assembly, enabling it to dynamically adjust its position vertically to follow ground contours while the rigid framework remains stationary

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Stability of the object's composition

If the cutterbar is rigidly mounted, then structural stability is improved, but the ability to locally adapt to ground elevations is worsened

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidlocalized adaptation to ground contours

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The cutterbar assembly is separated from the rigid platform framework through float arm connections, creating an independent movable component that can locally adapt while the overall structure remains stable

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The float arms enable the cutterbar to dynamically respond to ground variations by moving vertically independently, while the rigid framework maintains its structural stability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Ease of manufacture

If the platform cannot flex, then manufacturing simplicity is improved, but crop material collection efficiency is worsened

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidcrop material collection efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The platform is segmented into multiple sections with float arms, allowing relatively simple manufacturing of individual components while achieving complex adaptive behavior through their assembly

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP1993344B1Flexible cutting platform to follow ground contour in an agricultural harvesting machine

Publication Date: 2017.06.14 DEERE & CO

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AI summary

A cutting platform (12) for use with an agricultural harvesting machine (10) includes a plurality of platform sections (16,18,20) positioned in end-to-end juxtaposed relation to each other. At least one platform section (16,18,20) includes a frame (26), a plurality of float arms (28) movably coupled with the frame (26), an endless belt (32) carried by the plurality of float arms (28), and a cutterbar assembly (22) carried by the plurality of float arms (28) and movable in a localized manner in upwards and downwards directions.