Adjustable Tension Draper Track Assembly for Lightweight Belt Support
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Draper headers in agricultural harvesting require substantial and costly draper tracks that are heavy and inefficient in supporting the draper belt, necessitating a lighter and more efficient solution.
Innovation Solution
A tension draper track assembly with elongated tracks and a tensioning mechanism that secures to support legs, allowing for adjustable tensioning to support the draper belt, reducing weight and cost while maintaining functionality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a substantial cross-section draper track is used to extend between support legs and support the draper belt, then the draper belt is adequately supported, but the track becomes heavy and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the draper track adjustable in tension through a tensioning mechanism. The track can be dynamically tensioned to the appropriate level to support the draper belt effectively, rather than being a fixed, over-engineered static structure. This allows the track to have just enough strength and stiffness to perform its function without excessive material.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of track tension from a fixed value to an adjustable range. By allowing the tension parameter to be optimized and adjusted, the track can achieve adequate support capability with less material than a track designed for maximum possible tension. The tensioning mechanism enables precise control of this parameter.
2Reliability
If a substantial cross-section draper track is used to support the draper belt, then adequate support is provided, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tensioning mechanism allows the track tension to be dynamically adjusted to the minimum necessary level for adequate draper belt support. This dynamic capability enables the use of lighter, less expensive track materials or smaller cross-sections that would not be sufficient in a fixed, non-adjustable system.
Solution Approach 2:
By making the tension parameter adjustable, the system can be optimized to use the minimum material necessary to achieve adequate support. This parameter change from fixed to variable tension allows for cost-effective manufacturing while maintaining the required reliability.
3Reliability
If a tensioning mechanism is added to the draper track assembly, then the track can be tensioned to support the draper belt effectively, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tensioning mechanism is designed to be self-adjusting or easily adjustable, allowing the system to self-regulate the track tension. This reduces the need for complex control systems and minimizes the operational complexity while maintaining effective draper belt support.
Solution Approach 2:
The tensioning mechanism provides a simple means to change the tension parameter of the track. By focusing on this single critical parameter, the design achieves improved support performance without adding excessive complexity, as the mechanism only needs to control one primary variable.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A draper header for harvesting agricultural crops includes a tension draper track assembly for supporting a return run of a draper belt. The draper header includes a header frame with first and second support legs, and the draper belt extends across the first and second support legs for transporting harvested agricultural crops. The tension draper track assembly is operatively coupled between the first and second support legs and includes an elongated draper track. The elongated draper track is secured to one of the first and second support legs and includes a tensioning mechanism coupled to the other of the first and second support legs for tensioning the elongated draper track across the first and second support legs for supporting the return run of the draper belt. The elongated draper track may also be coated in a low-friction material to reduce friction and wear on the return run of the draper belt.