Folding Header Wing Pivoting for Transport Width Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Agricultural combines face challenges in transporting wider headers on public roadways due to width restrictions, necessitating a solution to reduce the header width for safe travel.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a center section and wing sections that can pivot about a vertical axis, allowing the header to be vertically moved and pivoted for transport, reducing its width while maintaining stability and functionality during harvesting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the header width is increased to cut more crop material in each pass, then harvesting productivity is improved, but the header cannot be transported on public roadways due to width restrictions
Solution Approach 1:
The header is divided into a center section and two wing sections that can be independently positioned. The wing sections can be pivoted inward along guide rails to reduce the overall width, allowing the header to meet roadway width restrictions while maintaining full width capability during harvesting operations
Solution Approach 2:
The header design incorporates movable wing sections that can dynamically change position between a wide harvesting configuration and a narrow transport configuration. This dynamic adjustment allows the header to adapt to different operational requirements, providing full width for productivity during harvesting and reduced width for compliance during transport
2Ease of operation
If the header width is reduced for transport, then transportability is improved, but harvesting capability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The wing sections are designed to be movable rather than fixed, allowing them to be positioned in a retracted configuration for transport and an extended configuration for harvesting. This dynamic capability ensures that the header maintains full harvesting width when needed while achieving reduced width for transport compliance
Solution Approach 2:
The wing sections utilize vertical guide rails to move horizontally inward, effectively using vertical space to achieve horizontal width reduction. This dimensional approach allows the wing sections to clear the roadway width restriction while maintaining their full harvesting width capability when positioned outward
3Ease of operation
If the wing sections are made movable to reduce width, then transportability is improved, but structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The header is segmented into modular components (center section and wing sections) with defined interfaces. The wing sections connect to the center section through standardized mounting structures with guide rails and positioning mechanisms, allowing for simplified assembly and maintenance while enabling width adjustment capability
Solution Approach 2:
The wing sections incorporate self-aligning features through the guide rail system, where the geometry of the rails and mounting structures automatically guides the wing sections into proper position during movement. This self-alignment reduces the need for complex alignment mechanisms and simplifies the overall structure
Data Source
AI summary
An agricultural harvester includes a chassis and a header carried by the chassis. The header includes: a center section supporting at least one center cutter and having a pair of lateral ends; a wing section linked to one of the lateral ends of the center section and supporting at least one wing cutter, the wing section being vertically moveable relative to the center section between a harvesting position and a transport position, the wing section being pivotable about a generally vertical pivot axis in the transport position and substantially prevented from pivoting about the pivot axis in the harvesting position; and an actuator linked to the wing section and configured to vertically move the wing section from the harvesting position to the transport position.