Stratification Pan Guide Plates for Hillside Grain Distribution

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing combine harvesters experience non-uniform distribution of grain and unwanted material on the stratification pan when operating on a hillside, leading to inefficient separation and delivery to the grain cleaning apparatus.

Innovation Solution

A grain cleaning apparatus with pivotable guide plates on dividers that adjust based on the combine harvester's lateral inclination, directing material into specific lanes to achieve a more uniform distribution on the stratification pan.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the combine harvester operates on a hillside, then the harvesting capability is maintained, but the distribution of grain and material on the stratification pan becomes non-uniform

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveharvesting capabilityVSAvoiduniformity of material distribution

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The guide plates are made pivotable to dynamically adjust their orientation based on the combine harvester's lateral inclination. This allows the system to adapt to changing operational conditions (hillside angles) while maintaining uniform material distribution on the stratification pan, resolving the contradiction between maintaining harvesting productivity and ensuring stable uniform distribution.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The control system uses feedback from sensors detecting the combine harvester's lateral inclination to automatically adjust the guide plate positions. This closed-loop control ensures that the material distribution remains uniform despite the harvester operating on slopes, allowing hillside harvesting while compensating for the non-uniform distribution effect.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Device complexity

If fixed dividers are used on the stratification pan, then the structure is simple, but the material distribution becomes non-uniform when operating on slopes

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructure simplicityVSAvoiduniformity of material distribution

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The guide plates are made pivotable to dynamically adjust their orientation based on the combine harvester's lateral inclination. This allows the system to adapt to changing operational conditions (hillside angles) while maintaining uniform material distribution on the stratification pan, resolving the contradiction between maintaining harvesting productivity and ensuring stable uniform distribution.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The control system uses feedback from sensors detecting the combine harvester's lateral inclination to automatically adjust the guide plate positions. This closed-loop control ensures that the material distribution remains uniform despite the harvester operating on slopes, allowing hillside harvesting while compensating for the non-uniform distribution effect.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS20260060179A1A Grain Cleaning Apparatus for a Combine Harvester

Publication Date: 2026.03.05 AGCO INT GMBH

AI summary

A grain cleaning apparatus comprises a stratification pan for receiving material from a threshing system of a combine harvester. Material is divided into lanes on the stratification pan by dividers, and at least some of the dividers are provided with a respective pivotable guide plate for guiding material into a lane at a selected side of the divider. The pivoting of the guide plates is controlled in dependence on a lateral inclination of the combine harvester.