Inclined Conveyor Assembly Pendulum Axis Configuration
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing feederhouse assemblies in combine harvesters face challenges in maintaining homogeneous crop transfer due to significant changes in distance between the feederhouse rollers when the pendulum axis is pivoted, leading to unsatisfactory work results and limited achievable pendulum angles.
Innovation Solution
The feederhouse assembly features a pendulum axis inclined backwards and upwards, parallel to the imaginary connecting line between the center of the lower and upper feederhouse rollers, with an extensible endless conveyor element and a flexible floor member to maintain a constant spatial relationship between the header and the lower feederhouse roller, ensuring homogeneous crop transfer across the width.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the pendulum axis is positioned horizontally in the prior art, then the header can pivot relative to the feeder house assembly, but the distance between the delivery conveyor and the lower feederhouse roller changes considerably, making it difficult to transfer crop homogeneously
Solution Approach 1:
The pendulum axis is positioned asymmetrically inclined backwards and upwards at an angle between 10° and 45° (preferably 20° to 30°) relative to the horizontal, rather than being horizontally aligned. This asymmetric positioning compensates for the pivoting movement, maintaining a more constant distance between the delivery conveyor and lower feederhouse roller throughout the pendulum's range of motion, thereby ensuring homogeneous crop transfer while preserving full adaptability.
2Device complexity
If the lower feederhouse roller is rotatably but immovably attached to the housing, then the structure is simple, but the distance change during pivoting cannot be accommodated, restricting the achievable pendulum angle
Solution Approach 1:
The lower feederhouse roller is attached to the pendulum shield in a manner that allows it to pivot together with the pendulum shield about the inclined pendulum axis. This dynamic attachment enables the roller to follow the pendulum's angular movement while maintaining its functional relationship with the conveyor element, achieving larger pivoting ranges without compromising structural simplicity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the conveying element is made extensible to accommodate distance changes, then the pendulum angle can be increased, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of making the conveying element extensible, the invention changes the geometric parameter of the pendulum axis inclination. By positioning the pendulum axis at a specific backward and upward angle, the natural geometry of the system compensates for distance changes during pivoting, allowing the rigid conveying element to maintain constant length while accommodating the full range of pendulum motion.
Data Source
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AI summary
An inclined conveyor assembly (20) for a combine harvester (10) comprises a housing (62) at the rear end of which an upper inclined conveyor roller (64) is rotatably mounted; a lower inclined conveyor roller (90) positioned at the front end of the housing (62); a stretchable endless conveyor element (82) with carriers (84) rotating around the lower inclined conveyor roller (90) and the upper inclined conveyor roller (64); and a pendulum shield (78) pivotally mounted at the front end of the housing (62) about a pendulum axis (76), to which a harvesting header (18) can be attached. The pendulum axis (76) is inclined obliquely rearward and upward.