Forage Harvester Pressure Element Crop Mat Compression
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current forage harvesters experience a loss of pre-pressing effect due to the rotational movement of upper feed rollers, leading to crop mat fanning out and resulting in unwanted excess lengths, which can affect silage quality.
Innovation Solution
A rotating pressure element with an approximately triangular cross-section is positioned downstream of the movable feed roller and upstream of the chopping drum, maintaining pre-compression and preventing crop mat fanning out, and can be prestressed by springs or hydraulic cylinders.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the upper feed roller is made height-adjustable to accommodate crop variations, then the adaptability to different crop conditions is improved, but the pre-pressing effect is lost due to rotational movement causing the crop mat to fan out
Solution Approach 1:
The upper feed roller is segmented into a fixed portion and a height-adjustable portion. The fixed portion maintains contact with the crop mat to preserve the pre-pressing effect, while the height-adjustable portion can move vertically to adapt to different crop conditions. This segmentation allows the system to simultaneously achieve both adaptability and pre-pressing effectiveness.
2Ease of operation
If the feed roller rotates to feed the crop mat, then the feeding function is improved, but the crop mat fans out downstream causing excess lengths in the chopped material
Solution Approach 1:
A stationary guide element is introduced as an intermediary component between the rotating feed roller and the crop mat. This guide element maintains continuous contact with the crop mat downstream of the feed roller, preventing it from fanning out while allowing the feed roller to rotate freely. The guide element mediates between the rotational feeding action and the need for sustained compression.
3Stress or pressure
If the feed roller moves upstream to pre-compress the crop, then the pre-compression effect is improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional mounting requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The stationary guide element is merged with the existing feed roller assembly structure. The guide element is mounted directly on the feed roller carrier or housing, combining the feeding function and the guiding/compression function into a single integrated assembly. This merging approach maintains pre-compression effectiveness while avoiding the need for separate mounting structures.
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
This solution enhances chop quality by maintaining pre-compression close to the cutterhead, reducing unwanted overlengths and improving the cutting process.
Implementation Method 1
The moveable feed roller extends almost to the circumference of the cutterhead. In order to achieve a pre-pressing effect on the crop mat in the area downstream of the movable feed roller and upstream of the chopper drum, it is proposed to attach a further pressure element acting on the crop mat at this point.
Implementation Method 2
The moveable feed roller extends almost to the circumference of the cutterhead. In order to achieve a pre-pressing effect on the crop mat in the area downstream of the movable feed roller and upstream of the chopper drum, it is proposed to attach a further pressure element acting on the crop mat at this point.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
The device comprises at least one rotating lower pressure drum (34,35) and at least one rotating upper pressure drum (36,37) leading the harvested material (62) between them to a chopping element (22) fitted with cutting blades (38) around its outer surface acting in combination with a counter blade (60). A small cylindrical pressure element (64) is accommodated inside the triangular space (66) formed by the harvested material (62), the chopping element (22) and the upper pressure drum (37) in order to apply additional pressure on the harvested mat-shaped material (62).