Lateral Conveyor Speed and Direction Control for Lodged Crop Dislodging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing agricultural headers require manual operation to reverse belts and slow down the harvester to remove lodged crops, which is time-consuming and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
An agricultural system with a header that includes actuators and a controller to automatically link the speed and direction of lateral conveyors to the vehicle speed and direction, allowing for automatic adjustment and reversal of the belts to dislodge lodged crops.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual operation is used to reverse belts and slow down the harvester to remove lodged crops, then the operator can control the process, but the operation is time-consuming and inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables automatic control where the lateral conveyors self-adjust their speed and direction based on vehicle motion without requiring manual intervention. The controller automatically detects vehicle speed and direction changes and adjusts conveyor operation accordingly, allowing the system to service itself during de-slug operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller receives feedback about vehicle speed and direction (either from sensors or operator input) and uses this information to automatically adjust the lateral conveyor operations. This closed-loop control system continuously monitors vehicle motion and responds by adjusting conveyor speed and direction to maintain optimal de-slug operation.
2Reliability
If the entire threshing system is slowed to a stop before reversing directions, then all belts can be reversed safely, but the process becomes time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The system separates the control of lateral conveyors from the main threshing system. Only the lateral conveyors are reversed and adjusted for de-slug operations, while the main threshing system continues operating independently. This segmentation allows selective reversal of only the necessary components without stopping the entire system.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts conveyor operation based on real-time vehicle motion. The controller continuously monitors vehicle speed and direction changes and automatically adjusts conveyor speed and direction accordingly, enabling smooth transitions without requiring complete system stops. The lateral conveyors can reverse direction dynamically while the vehicle is still moving.
3Productivity
If automatic linkage is implemented between vehicle speed/direction and lateral conveyor speed/direction, then de-slug operation is rapid and efficient, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The controller serves multiple functions: it monitors vehicle speed, detects direction changes, controls lateral conveyor speed, and manages conveyor direction reversal. By consolidating these diverse control functions into a single controller, the system achieves automatic de-slug operation without proportionally increasing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces manual mechanical operation with electronic control. Instead of requiring physical manual reversal of conveyor belts through mechanical means, the controller uses electronic signals to actuate the conveyors, providing more precise and rapid control while reducing the complexity of mechanical linkages and manual intervention mechanisms.
Data Source
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AI summary
An agricultural system includes a header (200) that includes a frame (201) and first and second lateral conveyors coupled to the frame. The first and second lateral conveyors are configured to laterally transport crop material towards a central crop-receiving aperture. The header (200) also includes actuators configured to adjust a speed and a direction of the first and second lateral conveyors. The agricultural system includes a controller (302) configured to receive an input from an input device that causes the controller (302) to automatically link the speed and the direction of the first and second lateral conveyors to a vehicle speed and a vehicle direction of an agricultural vehicle that the header (200) is coupled to. The controller (302) is configured to provide a control signal to the actuators (308,310) that alters the speed and the direction of the first and second lateral conveyors in response to changes in the vehicle speed and the vehicle direction.