Nut Row Harvester Conveyor with Intermediary Hopper
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing nut harvesters face inefficiencies in separating nuts from debris and efficiently collecting and transporting nuts from windrows in orchards, leading to potential losses and increased operational complexity.
Innovation Solution
A row harvester equipped with a conveyor system, including rotary paddles and conveyors, that separates nuts from debris using a fan-assisted suction mechanism and elevates a collection hopper for efficient dumping into a trailer, allowing for effective nut collection and transport.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If a conventional conveyor system is used to transport nuts, then nuts can be moved from the ground to a trailer, but nuts are lost during transfer and debris is not effectively separated
Solution Approach 1:
A collection hopper is introduced as an intermediary device between the pickup conveyor and the delivery conveyor. The hopper receives nuts from the pickup conveyor, allows debris to fall through screening openings, and then delivers cleaned nuts to the delivery conveyor. This intermediary step prevents nut loss during direct transfer while effectively separating debris through gravity and screening mechanisms.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a simple conveyor system is used, then the device complexity is low, but the ability to separate nuts from debris is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The conveyor system is segmented into distinct functional sections: a pickup conveyor for collecting nuts from the ground, a collection hopper for temporary storage and debris separation, and a delivery conveyor for transporting cleaned nuts to the trailer. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function efficiently, providing versatile separation capability while keeping individual components relatively simple.
3Productivity
If the harvester operates continuously, then productivity is high, but nut loss during transfer increases
Solution Approach 1:
The collection hopper performs preliminary action by receiving nuts from the pickup conveyor and allowing debris to fall through screening openings before the nuts are transferred to the delivery conveyor. This preliminary separation and stabilization of nuts in the hopper prevents loss during the subsequent transfer operation, enabling continuous high-productivity harvesting without increasing nut loss.
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 solution enhances nut collection efficiency by minimizing losses and simplifying the harvesting process, enabling the harvester to effectively separate nuts from debris and transport them to a trailer for further processing.
Implementation Method 1
a fan assembly that creates a suction force that moves nuts and debris
Data Source
AI summary
A nut row harvester has a nut hopper attached to a conveyor system. The nut row harvester has first and second frame sections that are pivotable relative to each other. A delivery end of the conveyor is moveable from a lower or harvesting position to an upper or dumping position. The nut hopper moves between the upper and lower positions with the end of the delivery conveyor.