Mid-portion Driven Auger for Agricultural Harvesters
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional agricultural harvester headers with end-driven augers face hydraulic complexity and create a 'dead spot' for crop conveyance due to the split design, which affects efficient crop collection and compression.
Innovation Solution
A mid-portion driven auger design with a continuous tube, where a drive motor and drive wheel directly engage the auger's outer surface or radially projecting flange for rotation, eliminating hydraulic complexities and the dead spot issue.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the auger is driven from the end, then multiple hydraulic assemblies are required for various header sizes, but this creates complexity for engineering, manufacturing and service
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the hydraulic drive system with a direct mechanical drive system. A drive wheel directly engages the auger tube externally, converting rotational motion mechanically rather than through hydraulic assemblies. This eliminates the need for multiple hydraulic assemblies while maintaining adaptability to different header sizes through the external engagement design.
2Device complexity
If the auger is driven from the center, then the hydraulic complexity is resolved, but the split in the auger creates a dead spot for the cut crop
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the drive location from the traditional end or center position to an external mid-portion position. The drive wheel engages the auger tube from the outside at its mid-portion, allowing the auger to maintain a continuous, unsplit tube design. This external engagement at mid-portion eliminates the dead spot while avoiding hydraulic complexity.
3Productivity
If a continuous tube auger is used with mid-portion drive, then crop conveyance is improved without dead spots, but the drive mechanism must directly engage the auger
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the drive mechanism from the internal auger structure and positions it externally. The drive wheel engages the auger tube from the outside through direct contact or friction, separating the drive function from the auger tube itself. This allows the continuous tube design to maintain its integrity while being driven effectively at the mid-portion.
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 mid-portion driven auger design simplifies hydraulic systems and ensures continuous crop conveyance without the dead spot, enhancing the efficiency of crop collection and handling.
Implementation Method 1
the drive frictionally engages the auger for driving rotation therewith
Data Source
AI summary
A header for an agricultural harvester comprising a chassis and an auger having a tube extending in end to end relation with and rotatably supported by the chassis. The header further includes a drive mounted adjacent a mid-portion of the auger and operatively engaged with the mid-portion of the auger for driving rotation thereof. The header thus provides an auger which is driven at its mid-portion, thereby eliminating the hydraulic complexities of augers that are driven at their ends. In addition, when the auger tube is continuous, the mid-portion driven, continuous tube auger eliminates the crop dead spot that typically occurs when split augers are deployed.