Agricultural Reel Assembly Cam-Driven Path Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The effectiveness of the reel assembly in directing crops matted on the surface of the field to the cutter bar assembly is reduced due to the fingers being positioned a significant distance above the soil when the reel follows a substantially linear path at the transition orientation.
Innovation Solution
The reel assembly includes an arm with a substantially straight portion, a carriage that moves along this portion, a cam with a cam surface, and a follower that engages the cam surface to control the rotation of the arm, allowing the reel to move along a path that positions the fingers closer to the surface of the field, enhancing its effectiveness in directing matted crops.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the reel moves along a substantially linear path at the transition orientation to clear the cutter bar assembly, then the fingers clear the cutter bar assembly, but the fingers are positioned a significant distance above the surface of the soil, reducing the effectiveness in directing matted crops
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the substantially linear path with a curved path. The curved path allows the reel to clear the cutter bar assembly while maintaining a lower position, keeping the fingers closer to the soil surface for effective engagement of matted crops, thus resolving the contradiction between clearance and harvesting efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic path adjustment by transitioning from a static linear path to a dynamic curved path that adapts to the spatial relationship between the reel and cutter bar assembly, enabling both clearance and effective crop engagement
Data Source
AI summary
A reel assembly of an agricultural header includes an arm configured to rotatably couple to a frame of the agricultural header, in which the arm has a substantially straight portion. The reel assembly also includes a carriage slidably coupled to the arm and configured to move along the substantially straight portion of the arm, in which the carriage is configured to support a reel of the reel assembly. In addition, the reel assembly includes a cam coupled to the carriage and having a cam surface, and a follower configured to couple to the frame and to engage the cam surface of the cam. The cam surface is configured to control rotation of the arm relative to the frame in response to movement of the carriage along the substantially straight portion of the arm.