Folding Corn Sheller Head With Multi-Axis Hinges
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing corn-shelling machine and combine harvester heads have excessive transverse dimensions in their folded configurations, requiring oversized loads and incurring security risks and high transportation costs when being carried on combine harvesters.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a central portion with two lateral portions that can be folded using a combination of hinges and drive elements, allowing the head to be reduced to one-third of its original transverse dimension, enabling easy coupling with a combine harvester and eliminating the need for oversized loads.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the head is designed with large transverse dimensions to harvest more cobs per passage, then the productivity is improved, but the folded configuration requires oversized loads and incurs high transportation costs
Solution Approach 1:
The head is divided into a central portion and two lateral portions that can be independently folded. Each lateral portion is hinged to the central portion, allowing them to be folded upward and inward separately. This segmentation enables the head to be reduced to one-third of its original transverse dimension while maintaining the capability to harvest many cobs per passage when in the working configuration.
2Productivity
If the head is designed with large transverse dimensions to harvest more cobs per passage, then the productivity is improved, but the transportation cost and security risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The head incorporates movable hinges and drive elements that allow dynamic reconfiguration between a large transverse dimension working configuration and a compact folded configuration. This dynamic capability enables the head to adapt its dimensions based on operational requirements, reducing transportation costs and eliminating security risks associated with oversized loads while maintaining high productivity during harvesting operations.
3Device complexity
If the head is folded using conventional hinge arrangements, then the device complexity is reduced, but the folded dimensions remain excessive at 5-6 meters
Solution Approach 1:
The folding mechanism utilizes multiple hinge axes oriented in different dimensions. The first hinge axes are arranged parallel to the advancement direction, allowing lateral portions to fold upward. The second hinge axes are arranged perpendicular to the advancement direction, enabling further folding inward. This multi-dimensional folding approach achieves compact dimensions of approximately one-third of the original size while maintaining manageable device complexity through the use of standard hinge arrangements.
Data Source
AI summary
Folding heads for corn-shelling machines and/or combine harvesters which include a central portion extending along a main transversal direction and two lateral portions aligned with the central portion in a working condition of the head are provided. Folding heads may include drive elements for moving the lateral portions so as to pass from the working configuration to a folded configuration wherein the lateral portions are at least partially folded and overlapping the central portion. Each lateral portion may be operatively connected to the central portion by connection elements which may include a relative arm which connects each lateral portion to the central portion, wherein the connection elements include a first hinge defining a first rotation axis parallel to a longitudinal direction of advancement of the head and a second hinge defining a second rotation axis, perpendicular to the first rotation axis. Methods of making and using folding heads are also provided.