Harvester Grain Pan Dynamics for Crop Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Agricultural combines face challenges in evenly distributing threshed crops to the cleaning system due to uneven terrain, leading to fluctuations in crop material discharge and increased grain loss, particularly during uphill and downhill travel.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a crop material distributor with a sensor and actuator-controlled apparatus that adjusts its position to manage crop flow by providing an increasing impediment to crop material, ensuring consistent delivery to the cleaning sieve, utilizing a control system connected to the actuator and sensor for real-time adjustments based on grain quantity and inclination angle.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the combine travels on uneven terrain (uphill or downhill), then the discharge rate of threshed crop material fluctuates, but this causes uneven distribution to the cleaning system and increased grain loss
Solution Approach 1:
The grain pan is made tiltable relative to the threshing system, allowing its inclination angle to be dynamically adjusted based on terrain conditions. This dynamic adjustment compensates for discharge rate fluctuations caused by uneven terrain, maintaining even distribution to the cleaning system and preventing grain loss from overloading.
2Ease of operation
If the grain pan surface is provided with vanes for sideward deflection, then lateral inclination effects are compensated, but surge in crop flow during transit from downhill to uphill travel is not remedied
Solution Approach 1:
The grain pan's tilting capability provides dynamic adjustment of the entire pan's inclination angle, enabling compensation for surge in crop flow during transitions from downhill to uphill travel. This goes beyond static vanes by allowing the whole distribution surface to adapt its angle, maintaining reliable and consistent crop flow distribution.
3Manufacturing precision
If an apparatus is added to provide increasing impediment to crop material, then distribution across the cleaning sieve is optimized, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The grain pan serves multiple functions: it receives crop material from the threshing system, distributes it across the cleaning sieve, and through tilting, compensates for terrain-induced discharge fluctuations. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate complex control mechanisms, achieving precise crop distribution while minimizing additional device complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
An apparatus (32) and method is provided for distributing crop material onto a cleaning sieve (24) of an agricultural combine (10). The method includes providing at least one sensor (42, 48) configured and operable for sensing information representative of at least one of a quantity of grain associated with the crop material distributor (22) and an inclination angle associated with the crop material distributor (22), and outputting signals representative thereof. The method includes providing a crop material distributor (22) disposed between a threshing system (16) of the combine (10) and the sieve (24), for distributing crop material from the threshing system (16) generally evenly onto the sieve (24). The method includes providing an apparatus (32) operably associated with the distributor (22) for controllably distributing crop material onto the sieve (24). The method includes controlling a position of the apparatus (32) as a function of signals from the at least one sensor (42, 48).