Harvester Header Support with Pivotable Wheels

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Solution Overview

Problem

Modern agricultural harvesters face challenges with increased axle loads when transporting headers on public roads, leading to potential overload issues, and existing support wheel solutions are impractical, labor-intensive, and vulnerable to damage during road transport and harvesting operations.

Innovation Solution

A harvester header support system with a pivotable frame and support wheels that transition between road transport and field operation modes, allowing the support wheels to bear weight during transport and be free during harvesting, with a simple and robust design that reduces bearing stress and eliminates the need for pretensioned bearings.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Force

If support wheels are used during road transport to reduce front axle load, then axle load compliance is improved, but ground compaction occurs during harvesting operations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefront axle loadVSAvoidground compaction

Core Design Contradiction:

ForceVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The support wheel assembly is designed to be dynamically adjustable between two operational states: during road transport, the support wheels are positioned to contact the ground and bear the header weight; during harvesting operations, the support wheels are retracted or positioned to be free from ground contact. This dynamic reconfiguration allows the system to fulfill different functional requirements without causing harmful effects in either state.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Object-affected harmful factors

If support wheels are removed during harvesting to avoid ground contact, then ground compaction is prevented, but mounting and removal becomes labor-intensive and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveground compactionVSAvoidmounting and removal time

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The support wheel assembly incorporates self-service features that enable automatic or semi-automatic deployment and retraction. The system includes quick-attach mechanisms and self-positioning features that eliminate the need for manual mounting and removal operations, allowing the support wheels to be automatically deployed when needed and retracted when not needed, significantly reducing the time and labor required for transitions between operational states.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Ease of operation

If support wheels remain in contact with ground during harvesting, then ease of operation is improved, but bearing damage from vibrations increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesupport wheel operationVSAvoidbearing durability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

4Adaptability or versatility

If complex movement mechanisms are used to transfer support wheels between positions, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemode transition capabilityVSAvoidframe movement mechanism

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The support wheel assembly is segmented into independent, modular units that can be individually deployed and retracted. Each support wheel assembly includes its own simplified positioning mechanism, allowing independent operation without requiring complex coordinated movement of the entire frame structure. This segmentation reduces overall system complexity while maintaining full adaptability for mode transitions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

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

The system effectively reduces front axle load during transport, minimizes ground compaction, and reduces the risk of bearing damage by sharing vibration loads vertically, while being easy to operate and maintain, thus addressing the impracticality and cost concerns of existing solutions.

Implementation Method 1

a first arm (23), which arm is pivotably connected to the harvester interface via a pivot axis

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectRotation:

Implementation Method 2

a first support wheel (25) which comprises a first rotation axis (27) and a tread (26), which first support wheel is rotatable around the first rotation axis

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectRolling:

Data Source

PatentEP3269224B1Harvester header support

Publication Date: 2019.08.07 CNH IND BELGIUM NV

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AI summary

The invention pertains to a harvester header support (20). The harvester header support (20) supports the header during road transport of an agricultural harvester (1) with a header mounted to it in order to reduce the front axle load of the agricultural harvester (1). During harvesting, the support wheel (25) of the harvester header support (20) are folded upwardly so they do not touch the ground during harvesting. The rotation axis (27) of the support wheel (25) extends in a substantially vertical plane during harvesting. This allows for a simple construction of the harvester header support (20) and reduces the vibration loads on the bearing of the support wheel (25) during harvesting.