Windguard Retainer for Automated Blockage Clearance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Crop material blockages in agricultural vehicles, such as balers, can disrupt operation and pose safety risks for operators, as they require manual clearing, which is time-consuming and potentially hazardous.
Innovation Solution
A windguard retainer system that retains the windguard in an elevated position, allowing windguard tines to be moved independently to clear blockages without moving the entire windguard, facilitated by an actuator and controller for automated blockage clearance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the windguard is moved to clear blockages, then crop material blockages can be removed, but the entire windguard must be moved which increases operation complexity and time
Solution Approach 1:
The windguard is divided into two independent movable components: the windguard assembly and the tines. The tines can be moved independently of the windguard assembly through a separate actuator mechanism, allowing blockage clearance without moving the entire windguard structure. This segmentation enables selective movement of only the necessary component (tines) for blockage removal.
2Productivity
If manual clearing of blockages is required, then blockages can be removed, but operator safety risks increase and downtime increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables automated blockage clearance through actuators that can independently move the windguard and/or tines to dislodge and remove blockages. This self-service capability eliminates the need for operators to manually clear blockages, thereby reducing safety risks and minimizing operational downtime. The controller automatically detects and responds to blockage conditions.
3Ease of operation
If the windguard is retained in elevated position, then blockage removal is facilitated, but the windguard cannot perform its normal function of holding down crop material
Solution Approach 1:
The windguard system is designed with dynamic positioning capability, where the windguard assembly and tines can be independently positioned between different operational states. During normal operation, the windguard is in a lowered position to hold down crop material. When blockages occur, the system dynamically transitions to an elevated position for blockage removal, then returns to the lowered position to resume normal function.
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 4
AI summary
A feeding assembly (100) for an agricultural vehicle (10) includes: a pickup (30) including a pickup reel (31) carrying a plurality of tines (32); a rotor (110) including a plurality of rotor fins (111) disposed rearwardly from the pickup (30); and a windguard assembly (200) including a pair of movable support arms (201) and a windguard (202) coupled to the support arms (201), the windguard (202) including a tube (203) and a plurality of windguard tines (204) coupled to the tube (203), the windguard (202) being movable from a first position to a second position that is elevated relative to the first position. A windguard retainer (220, 220A) is configured to engage the windguard (202) when the windguard (202) is in the second position and retain the windguard (202) in the second position.