Draper Header Lean Bar Assembly for Reel-Synced Crop Engagement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing draper headers do not maintain a predetermined position of the lean bar assembly relative to the crop pick-up reel during its movement, requiring frequent adjustments.
Innovation Solution
The draper header design includes a lean bar assembly secured at a predetermined position relative to the crop pick-up reel, maintaining its position during selective movement along the reel support arms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the lean bar assembly is attached to the header frame separately from the crop pick-up reel, then the lean bar assembly can engage crops independently, but the predetermined position relationship between the lean bar assembly and crop pick-up reel is not maintained during reel movement
Solution Approach 1:
The lean bar assembly is coupled to the crop pick-up reel, merging these two components into a integrated unit. This ensures that when the reel moves fore and aft along the support arms, the lean bar assembly moves with it, maintaining a predetermined position relationship and eliminating the need for separate attachment to the header frame
2Adaptability or versatility
If the crop pick-up reel is made selectively moveable along the reel support arms for adjusting harvest position, then harvesting flexibility is improved, but the lean bar assembly position must be frequently adjusted to maintain optimal engagement
Solution Approach 1:
By coupling the lean bar assembly to the crop pick-up reel rather than the header frame, the system ensures that both components move together as a unit. This eliminates the need for separate adjustment of the lean bar assembly when the reel position is changed, saving time and maintaining optimal crop engagement throughout the reel's range of motion
3Ease of manufacture
If the lean bar assembly is not secured at a predetermined position relative to the crop pick-up reel, then the structure is simpler and easier to assemble, but crop engagement effectiveness decreases due to position instability
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling of the lean bar assembly to the crop pick-up reel creates a integrated unit with predetermined position relationship. This maintains reliability and crop engagement effectiveness while avoiding complex separate adjustment mechanisms, achieving a balance between structural simplicity and functional reliability
Data Source
AI summary
A draper header for harvesting agricultural crops includes at least one lean bar assembly for engaging the crops to be harvested prior to a first and a second crop pick-up reel. The first crop pick-up reel is rotatably coupled between an outboard and a center reel support arm of the draper header, and the second crop pick-up reel is rotatably coupled between the center and an outboard reel support arm of the draper header. The first and second crop pick-up reels are selectively moveable in a fore and an aft direction along the inboard, outboard, and center reel support arms for engaging the crops to be harvested. The lean bar assemblies are secured to each of the first and second crop pick-up reels at a predetermined position relative thereto and maintain the predetermined position during selective movement of the first and second crop pick-up reels in the fore and aft directions.