Harvester Elevator Assembly With Conveyor Storage Buffer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Agricultural harvesters face productivity loss when an external receiver is absent or improperly positioned, requiring the harvester to pause operations, as the conveyed crops must be discharged onto the ground to prevent accumulation.
Innovation Solution
An elevator assembly with a storage hopper and conveyor system that allows harvested crops to be temporarily stored within the harvester, enabling continuous operation even without a properly positioned external receiver, by adjusting the conveyor speed or halting its operation to accumulate crops in the storage hopper.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the harvester operates without an external receiver, then continuous harvesting can be maintained, but crops must be discharged onto the ground which causes productivity loss
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a storage hopper as an intermediary component between the elevator and the external receiver. This hopper temporarily stores harvested crops, allowing the harvester to continue operating without requiring the external receiver to be continuously present. The conveyor system acts as another intermediary, controlling the flow of crops from the elevator to either the storage hopper or the discharge opening based on operational needs.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the external receiver is absent or improperly positioned, then the harvester can continue harvesting, but the conveyed crops must be discharged onto the ground to prevent accumulation
Solution Approach 1:
The storage hopper provides preliminary storage capacity, allowing crops to be stored in advance before the external receiver is properly positioned. This preliminary action enables the harvester to maintain operation during temporary periods when the receiver is unavailable, eliminating the need to discharge crops onto the ground.
Solution Approach 2:
The conveyor system provides dynamic control over crop flow, allowing it to redirect crops from the discharge opening to the storage hopper based on real-time operational conditions. This dynamic capability enables the system to adapt to the absence or improper positioning of the external receiver without causing harmful crop discharge.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If the harvester pauses operation to prevent crop discharge onto the ground, then crop accumulation is avoided, but significant productivity loss occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The storage hopper serves as a buffer intermediary that decouples the harvesting operation from the external receiver availability. By storing crops temporarily, it allows the harvester to maintain continuous operation without pausing to prevent ground discharge, thus eliminating productivity loss while maintaining crop management control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables continuous useful action by implementing the storage hopper and controlled conveyor system. This allows the harvester to continuously harvest and store crops without interruption, eliminating the need to pause operation for crop management, thereby maintaining full productivity while preventing harmful ground discharge.
Data Source
AI summary
An elevator assembly for a harvester may include an elevator housing and an elevator extending within the elevator housing between a proximal end and a distal end. As such, the elevator may be configured to carry harvested crops between its proximal and distal ends. Furthermore, the elevator assembly may include a storage hopper extending from the elevator housing at a location adjacent to the distal end of the elevator. The storage hopper may include a conveyor extending within the storage hopper between a first end and a second end, with the conveyor configured to carry the harvested crops between its first and second ends towards a discharge opening of the storage hopper.