Transverse Conveyor Drive Segmentation for Harvester Belt Tension
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cross conveyors with belt designs, particularly those with long belts and large distances between deflection rollers, face challenges in proper drive and sagging prevention due to inadequate drive mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
Assigning a drive unit to each side deflection roller, with reversible motors, ensures effective drive and tensioning of both conveyor and losing strands in both conveying directions, eliminating the need for separate tensioning devices and allowing for smaller, more efficient drive units.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single drive unit is used for the cross conveyor belt, then the device complexity is reduced, but the drive effectiveness and tensioning capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The cross conveyor belt drive system is segmented into multiple drive units positioned at different locations along the belt. Each drive unit independently drives a section of the belt, ensuring that the entire length of the belt is effectively tensioned and driven without excessive sagging, while distributing the mechanical load across multiple smaller units rather than one large complex unit.
2Length of moving object
If the distance between deflection rollers is increased, then the cross conveyor belt length is reduced, but the sagging of the slack strand increases
Solution Approach 1:
The long cross conveyor belt is divided into multiple shorter effective spans by positioning drive units at intermediate locations between the deflection rollers. Each drive unit acts as an additional support point that prevents excessive sagging in the slack strand, allowing the overall belt length to be reduced while maintaining proper tension and shape throughout.
3Reliability
If a tensioning device is added to prevent sagging, then the drive effectiveness is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The drive units are designed to perform multiple functions: they drive the cross conveyor belt forward and simultaneously act as tensioning points that prevent sagging of the slack strand. By making the drive units multi-functional, the need for separate tensioning devices is eliminated, maintaining reliability while avoiding increased device complexity.
4Power
If larger drive units are used, then the drive power is increased, but the space required and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The total drive power requirement is segmented across multiple smaller drive units distributed along the cross conveyor belt. Each individual drive unit requires less space and costs less than a single large drive unit would, while the combined power of all drive units meets or exceeds the total power requirement. This segmentation allows for more compact overall system design and reduced costs.
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 solution provides reliable and efficient drive of the cross conveyor belt in both directions, prevents sagging, and offers space and cost advantages by using smaller drive units, effectively addressing the drive challenges of long cross conveyor belts.
Implementation Method 1
each of the lateral deflection rollers (15, 16) is assigned a drive unit (17, 18) by means of which the cross conveyor belt (14) can be driven
Data Source
Figure 1~3
AI summary
Transverse conveyor (12) of an agricultural harvesting machine, for conveying harvested crop in a conveying direction perpendicular to the direction of travel of the harvesting machine, with a transverse conveyor belt (14), and with lateral deflection rollers (15, 16) on which the transverse conveyor belt (14) is guided, wherein each of the lateral deflection rollers (15, 16) is assigned a drive unit (17, 18) by means of which the transverse conveyor belt (14) can be driven.