Sectional Header System with Under-Pivot Actuators
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Solution Overview
Problem
Large agricultural headers face challenges in transportation due to their width exceeding public roadway regulations, leading to increased costs and wear, and are cumbersome to maneuver and interchange, limiting harvesting efficiency and ease of use.
Innovation Solution
A sectional header system with a center section and additional sections that are removably and pivotally coupled, allowing for easy assembly and disassembly between harvesting and transportation modes, using actuators and connectors to connect and disconnect the sections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If header width is increased to harvest more crop material in a single pass, then harvesting efficiency is improved, but transportation difficulty and cost increase due to exceeding roadway width regulations
Solution Approach 1:
The header is divided into multiple detachable sections that can be separated during transportation. The center section remains on the combine while side sections are removed, allowing the combine to transport within roadway width limits while maintaining the ability to assemble a wide header configuration during harvesting operations.
2Productivity
If header width is increased to harvest more crop material in a single pass, then harvesting efficiency is improved, but the header becomes more cumbersome to maneuver and interchange
Solution Approach 1:
The header is divided into multiple detachable sections that can be separated during transportation. The center section remains on the combine while side sections are removed, allowing the combine to transport within roadway width limits while maintaining the ability to assemble a wide header configuration during harvesting operations.
3Ease of operation
If transport trailers are used to transport large headers, then transportation is enabled, but cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The header is divided into multiple detachable sections that can be separated during transportation. The center section remains on the combine while side sections are removed, allowing the combine to transport within roadway width limits while maintaining the ability to assemble a wide header configuration during harvesting operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The side sections of the header are extracted or removed from the combine during transportation, leaving only the center section on the combine. This extraction eliminates the need for separate transport trailers while maintaining the ability to reassemble the full header width during harvesting operations.
4Ease of operation
If headers with transport wheels are equipped, then transportation is enabled, but cost and practicality decrease due to size and weight
Solution Approach 1:
The header is divided into multiple detachable sections that can be separated during transportation. The center section remains on the combine while side sections are removed, allowing the combine to transport within roadway width limits while maintaining the ability to assemble a wide header configuration during harvesting operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The side sections of the header are extracted or removed from the combine during transportation, leaving only the center section on the combine. This extraction eliminates the need for separate transport trailers while maintaining the ability to reassemble the full header width during harvesting operations.
Data Source
AI summary
An agricultural vehicle including a chassis and a sectional header system carried by the chassis. The sectional header system includes a center section connected to the chassis, at least one additional section, and at least one coupling assembly that removably connects the center section to the at least one additional section. The at least one coupling assembly includes at least one actuator connected to the center section and the at least one additional section. The at least one actuator is located underneath the pivot point. The at least one additional section is configured for being coupled to the center section in harvesting of a crop material and decoupled from the center section and subsequently towable in transportation of the sectional header system.