Segmented Round Rod Driver Strips for Combine Harvesters
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing feederhouse systems in combine harvesters face issues with high energy consumption, wear, and vibration due to the use of heavy standard steel profiles as driver strips, which result in low frictional contact and limited conveying efficiency, leading to premature wear and noise.
Innovation Solution
The feederhouse employs driver strips composed of two round cross-section rods arranged one above the other, which are lightweight and flexible, reducing stress peaks and increasing the entrainment effect, optionally with a friction-increasing casing to enhance crop engagement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If heavy standard steel profiles are used as driver strips, then the structural strength and load-bearing capacity are improved, but the weight increases, leading to higher centrifugal forces, vibration, and noise
Solution Approach 1:
The driver strip is divided into multiple segments (at least two driver strips arranged one above the other), each made of lightweight round rods. This segmentation allows the system to maintain structural integrity through distributed load bearing while reducing the weight of individual components, thereby lowering centrifugal forces and vibration.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses composite construction by combining at least two round rods (made of lightweight materials such as aluminum, magnesium, or composite materials) to form the driver strip. This composite approach provides sufficient strength and stiffness to handle operational loads while significantly reducing the weight compared to solid steel profiles.
2Stability of the object's composition
If standard steel profiles are used as driver strips, then the structural rigidity is improved, but the frictional contact with the harvested crop is reduced, leading to low entrainment effect and high slip
Solution Approach 1:
The driver strips are designed with round cross-sections instead of flat or angular profiles. This curved geometry increases the surface area in contact with the harvested crop and improves frictional engagement, thereby reducing slip and enhancing the entrainment effect while maintaining structural rigidity through the circular cross-section.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the geometric parameters of the driver strips by using round cross-sections with optimized diameters. This parameter modification increases the contact area and friction coefficient with the crop, improving entrainment effectiveness. Additionally, the round shape allows for better adaptation to the crop flow, reducing slip and energy consumption.
3Speed
If heavy driver strips are used, then the conveying speed can be maintained, but the centrifugal forces in deflections increase, leading to higher loads on traction means and premature wear
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies the anti-weight principle by using lightweight materials and segmented construction to reduce the overall weight of the driver strips. This weight reduction directly decreases the centrifugal forces acting on the driver strips during operation, thereby lowering the loads on the traction means and reducing wear, while still maintaining sufficient conveying speed through optimized design.
4Strength
If standard steel profiles are used, then the structural strength is improved, but the wear and noise increase due to high loads and vibration
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses thin-walled round rods arranged in a segmented configuration. This design provides sufficient structural strength through the distributed arrangement while reducing the mass and vibration levels. The round cross-section also reduces contact stress and wear with the conveyed material, thereby minimizing noise and extending the service life of the driver strips.
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
This configuration reduces load on traction means, increases conveying efficiency, and minimizes energy consumption while reducing wear and noise, allowing for higher speed and improved handling of crops.
Implementation Method 1
the rods protrude further into the flow of conveyed material than the heavy standard steel profiles used in the prior art. This alone increases the entrainment effect of the entrainment strips on the harvested crop
Implementation Method 2
The rods can therefore be designed with a small diameter, making them very flexible. As a result, the yield point of the rod material is not reached, even in unfavorable load cases
Implementation Method 3
In an advantageous embodiment, the entrainment effect can be further increased by providing the rods with a friction-increasing casing
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to an inclined conveyor (3) for combine harvesters (1), comprising at least two endless traction means (13) which extend parallel to each other and which are interconnected by driver strips (14) arranged transversely to the conveying direction. The aim of the invention is to provide an inclined conveyor of the above type, wherein the load on the traction means is reduced owing to a reduced weight of the driver strips and a lower conveying speed. According to the invention, the driver strips (14) have at least two superimposed rods (15, 16) of a round cross-section which are fastened to the traction means (13) as individual rods.