Pivotable Deflector Chute for Windrow Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conveyors used with windrowers often fail to adjust for varying crop characteristics, leading to inefficient formation of windrows as different crops are harvested, resulting in merged swaths that are either too wide or improperly aligned, which can hinder harvester efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A chute system with a pivotable deflector assembly and adjustable orientation angle is attached to the conveyor, allowing for precise control of the product throw by guiding the crop material into a channel, enabling adjustments based on crop characteristics to form narrow, aligned windrows.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the conveyor operates without adjustable deflector assembly, then the structure is simple, but the windrow alignment precision deteriorates for different crop characteristics
Solution Approach 1:
The deflector assembly is made pivotable about a transverse axis, allowing the deflector surface to change its orientation angle dynamically. This enables adjustment of the product throw trajectory to accommodate different crop characteristics while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The orientation angle of the deflector surface is made adjustable, changing the geometric parameter of the chute. This allows precise control of the product throw to form properly aligned windrows for different crops without requiring multiple fixed chutes.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the deflector assembly is made pivotable with adjustable orientation, then the adaptability to different crops is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The deflector assembly is designed to pivot about a transverse axis, enabling dynamic adjustment of the orientation angle to match different crop throw characteristics. This single degree of freedom provides adequate adaptability without excessive complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The adjustable deflector assembly serves multiple functions: it controls product throw trajectory, accommodates different crop characteristics, and forms properly aligned windrows. This multi-functionality is achieved through a single pivotable mechanism rather than multiple separate systems.
3Manufacturing precision
If the chute system is added to extend throw range, then the windrow formation precision is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The chute system acts as an intermediary device between the conveyor and the field, extending the product throw range and enabling precise windrow formation. By introducing this intermediate component, the conveyor can maintain its simple structure while achieving improved windrow formation precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The pivotable deflector assembly within the chute provides dynamic control of the product trajectory, extending the throw range and enabling precise windrow formation for different crop characteristics without requiring changes to the conveyor itself.
Data Source
AI summary
A conveyor used with a harvester such as a wind rower has a chute at its discharge end with a deflection surface which controls the throw trajectory and thus the throw range of crop being cut. The orientation angle of the deflection surface relatively to the conveyor may be varied as a function of the particular crop throw characteristics to change the throw range of the conveyor as needed to form merged windrows of a particular crop while avoiding windrow widths which are too wide for efficient harvesting.