Control Spout Positioning for Complete Grain Cart Trailer Filling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing grain carts face challenges in efficiently filling grain hopper trailers due to misalignment of the grain transfer element's axis with the trailer's longitudinal axis, leading to manual intervention, inefficiencies, and increased risk of spilling and operator error during grain discharge.
Innovation Solution
A control spout with a swivel function that aligns with the trailer's longitudinal axis, allowing for controlled discharge in forward, rearward, downward, and lateral directions, coupled with a control system that adjusts the spout's position based on sensor feedback to ensure complete filling and minimize spillage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the discharge spout is aligned with the grain transfer element axis, then the grain can be discharged at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the grain hopper trailer, but this causes incomplete filling of the trailer corners and requires manual intervention
Solution Approach 1:
The discharge spout is made movable rather than fixed, allowing it to be dynamically repositioned between a first position for corner filling and a second position for general discharge. This dynamic adjustment enables the system to adapt to different filling requirements, eliminating the need for manual corner filling while maintaining efficient discharge operations.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the discharge spout is moved to an outward discharge direction aligned with the grain transfer element axis, then grain can be directed into different portions of the grain hopper trailer, but this increases the complexity of spout control and increases risk of operator error
Solution Approach 1:
The control of the discharge spout is segmented into distinct positions: a first position for directing grain into trailer corners and a second position for general discharge. This segmentation simplifies the control interface, reducing the risk of operator error while maintaining the ability to direct grain to different portions of the trailer as needed.
3Manufacturing precision
If manual intervention is used to fill trailer corners, then complete filling can be achieved, but this increases time consumption and physical demand on operators
Solution Approach 1:
The grain cart system performs corner filling automatically through the movable discharge spout mechanism, eliminating the need for manual intervention. The spout can be repositioned to direct grain into corners autonomously, reducing both time consumption and physical demand on operators while achieving complete filling.
4Ease of operation
If the grain transfer element axis is misaligned with the trailer longitudinal axis, then the grain cart can be conveniently viewed by the driver, but this causes grain discharge at an angle requiring manual corner filling
Solution Approach 1:
The movable discharge spout acts as an intermediary between the misaligned grain transfer element and the trailer. By repositioning the spout to different angles and positions, it mediates the misalignment issue, enabling grain to be directed accurately into trailer corners and along the longitudinal axis despite the inherent misalignment of the transfer element with the trailer axis.
Data Source
AI summary
A grain cart includes a supplying container and a grain transfer element coupled to and configured to receive grain from the supplying container. The grain transfer element is inclined upwardly, forwardly, and laterally outwardly from the supplying container. A control spout is coupled to and projects laterally outwardly from the grain transfer element. A first control spout actuator is configured to move the control spout about a first axis between a forward discharge direction and a rearward discharge direction to direct discharged grain forwardly and rearwardly into a receiving container. A second control spout actuator is configured to move the control spout about the second axis between a generally downward discharge direction and a laterally outward discharge direction to direct the discharged grain generally downwardly and laterally outwardly into the receiving container.