Agricultural Harvester Header Adapter Load Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing agricultural harvesters require strong and heavy header adapters to support the weight of the header and feeder house, leading to increased costs and mechanical stress, as the entire load is borne by a single pivot point, necessitating strong actuators and a heavy adapter construction.
Innovation Solution
Agricultural harvester design featuring a coupling device that connects the second actuator to both the feeder house and header adapter, allowing the second actuator to bear part of the header's weight, reducing the mechanical load on the adapter pivot and enabling a lighter construction by distributing the force through multiple actuators and a coupling mechanism with adjustable links.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single strong adapter pivot is used to support the header weight, then the header can be reliably supported, but the header adapter becomes heavy and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The load support function is segmented from a single adapter pivot to multiple actuators (first actuator and second actuator). The second actuator, connected via the coupling device to both the feeder house and header adapter, shares the weight-bearing responsibility, allowing the adapter pivot to be lighter while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling device acts as an intermediary mechanism that connects the second actuator to both the feeder house and header adapter. This intermediary structure enables force distribution across multiple components, reducing the load on any single component including the adapter pivot.
2Reliability
If strong actuators are used to counteract the tilting moment from header weight, then the header position can be maintained, but the actuator size and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The function of counteracting the tilting moment is segmented between the first actuator and the second actuator. The second actuator, through its connection via the coupling device, directly bears part of the header weight and assists in position control, allowing the first actuator to be smaller while maintaining header position stability.
3Strength
If a heavy header adapter construction is used, then the mechanical stress on the adapter pivot is reduced, but the overall system cost and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The mechanical load is segmented across multiple components: the adapter pivot, the coupling device, and the second actuator. This load distribution allows the adapter pivot to be constructed with less material and lower strength requirements, reducing both weight and cost while maintaining adequate strength through the distributed support system.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling device serves as an intermediary that distributes mechanical stresses between the feeder house and header adapter. By introducing this intermediate force distribution mechanism, the stress on the adapter pivot is reduced, allowing for a lighter construction.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention pertains to an agricultural harvester, comprising a harvester body (2), a header (5) which is adapted for harvesting a crop, a feeder house (3) which is adapted to receive harvested crop from the header, a header adapter (4) which is arranged between the header and the feeder house, which header adapter is adapted to allow the header to pivot relative to the feeder house about a horizontal pivot axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the header. A first actuator (21) has a first end that is pivotably connected to the feeder house and a second end that is pivotably connected to the header adapter. A second actuator (25) has a first end and a second end, which first end is pivotably connected to the harvester body. A coupling device (30) is pivotably connected to the second end of the second actuator, the feeder house and the header adapter.