Flexible Reel With Offset Support Arms for Crop Loss Prevention
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional pivoting reels in agricultural harvesting heads have a large gap between adjacent sections, causing crop to fall on the ground due to the need for reel support arms to be positioned between reel sections, which interferes with their pivoting mechanism.
Innovation Solution
A flexible reel arrangement with offset reel support arms and overlapping bat sections connected by flexible couplings, allowing adjacent reel sections to pivot without gaps, ensuring crop is not lost during harvesting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If reel support arms are positioned between adjacent reel sections to permit pivoting, then the reel sections can pivot up and down with respect to each other, but a large gap must be provided between adjacent reel sections causing crop to fall on the ground
Solution Approach 1:
The reel support arms are offset from the axle ends of the reel sections, moving the support structure to a different spatial dimension. This offset positioning allows the arms to be located at positions that do not interfere with the bats of adjacent reel sections, enabling both pivoting motion and continuous crop engagement without requiring large gaps between sections.
Solution Approach 2:
The reel is divided into multiple independent reel sections that are coupled together with flexible couplings at their axle ends. Each section can pivot independently while maintaining continuous coverage through the offset support arm configuration, allowing the segmented structure to achieve both pivoting capability and gap elimination.
2Loss of substance
If reel sections are positioned close together to prevent crop loss, then crop engagement is continuous, but adjacent reel sections cannot pivot with respect to each other
Solution Approach 1:
By positioning the reel support arms offset from the axle ends rather than at the coupling points, the support structure operates in a different spatial dimension that does not conflict with closely positioned bats. This allows adjacent reel sections to be positioned close together for continuous crop engagement while still permitting pivoting motion through the flexible couplings.
3Stability of the object's composition
If a rigid frame is used for the harvesting head, then structural stability is maintained, but the harvesting head cannot follow ground contours accurately
Solution Approach 1:
The harvesting head is divided into multiple frame sections (center frame and wing frames) that are coupled together with pivoting connections. This segmentation allows each section to maintain structural stability individually while the pivoting connections between sections enable the overall structure to follow ground contours accurately by adjusting to terrain variations.
Solution Approach 2:
The frame sections are designed to pivot with respect to each other, transforming the rigid structure into a dynamic system. This allows the harvesting head to adapt its configuration in real-time to follow ground contours while each individual frame section maintains its structural integrity and stability.
Data Source
AI summary
A flexible reel (100) for an agricultural harvesting head (115) includes a plurality of reel sections (102, 104, 106) coupled together with flexible joints (210), wherein bats (206, 218) mounted on one reel section (102, 104, 106) overlap and interleave with the bats (206, 218) of an adjacent reel section (102, 104, 106).