Floating Header Floor Assembly for Large and Small Grain Conveyance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing agricultural headers face challenges in efficiently conveying both large and small grain crops due to inadequate engagement by the auger, leading to crop buildup and yield loss.
Innovation Solution
A floating floor assembly with a movable upper portion and a biasing member that adjusts up or down in response to crop weight, allowing the header to engage both large and small crops effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the distance between the auger flighting and the floor is increased to accommodate large crop material, then the header can handle larger crops, but small grain crops are not fully engaged and conveyed, leading to crop buildup and yield loss
Solution Approach 1:
The floor is made movable rather than fixed, allowing it to adjust its position vertically in response to different crop sizes. The floor can move upward to engage small grain crops closer to the auger and downward to accommodate large crop material, thereby maintaining effective crop conveyance across varying crop types while preventing buildup
Solution Approach 2:
The vertical position parameter of the floor is changed dynamically based on crop characteristics. By adjusting the floor's vertical position, the system adapts to different crop sizes, ensuring optimal engagement with the auger for both small and large crops, thus resolving the contradiction between versatility and productivity
2Adaptability or versatility
If floating augers are used to move up or down in relation to the floor to engage large or small crop material, then the header can accommodate different crop sizes, but crop buildup in the header persists
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of making the auger floating and complex, the invention simplifies the system by making the floor movable. This dynamic floor adjustment provides the necessary adaptability for different crop sizes while ensuring consistent crop engagement and conveyance, eliminating the buildup issue that persisted with floating auger designs
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the floating mechanism from the auger and applies it to the floor instead. This simplification removes the complexity of floating augers while achieving the same adaptability goal, and additionally solves the crop buildup problem by ensuring proper crop engagement through floor movement
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 floating floor assembly enhances crop yield by efficiently conveying both large and small grain crops, reducing buildup and improving overall harvesting efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
at least one biasing member for biasing the movable upper floor portion toward the auger
Implementation Method 2
The upper floor portion is configured for contacting a crop material which applies a force onto the upper floor portion. The floor assembly also includes at least one biasing member that is connected to the upper floor portion and configured for biasing the upper floor portion so that the upper floor portion moves in response to the force applied by the crop material.
Data Source
AI summary
A floor assembly (300) of a header including a floating floor (310) with a stationary lower floor portion (312) and a movable upper floor portion (314). The upper floor portion is configured for contacting a crop material which applies a force onto the upper floor portion. The floor assembly also includes at least one biasing member (320) that is connected to the upper floor portion and configured for biasing the upper floor portion (314) so that the upper floor portion moves in response to the force applied by the crop material.