Windrow Chute Leading Edge Conveyor for Crop Accumulation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Agricultural combine harvesters experience material accumulation at the leading edge of the windrow chute during windrowing, disrupting operations due to the inability to effectively manage crop residue flow from both the threshing and cleaning systems.
Innovation Solution
A windrow assembly with a rotatable conveyor featuring conveyor projections that extend from the leading edge, capable of conveying crop material away from the leading edge and towards the chute surface or spreader assembly, reducing accumulation and stagnation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the leading edge of the windrow chute is properly spaced to protect residue from spreader wind and exclude catch-all straw, then the windrow quality is improved, but crop residue accumulates on the leading edge disrupting operation
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the problematic accumulation zone by positioning the rotatable conveyor at the leading edge to actively remove accumulated crop residue from the chute surface, separating the protection function from the material flow function
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces a rotatable conveyor that can dynamically adjust its rotation direction to handle different material flows - rotating in a first direction to convey material toward the chute surface for windrowing, and in a second direction to convey material toward the spreader assembly, thereby adaptively preventing accumulation while maintaining windrow quality
2Manufacturing precision
If the leading edge is positioned to exclude chaff from the windrow, then windrow purity is improved, but crop residue accumulates on the leading edge
Solution Approach 1:
The rotatable conveyor acts as an intermediary mechanism between the leading edge and the material flows, mediating the exclusion of chaff while preventing accumulation through active conveyance in either direction toward the chute surface or spreader assembly
3Productivity
If crop residue is directed to a windrow assembly with a fixed chute, then windrowing is achieved, but material accumulates at the leading edge causing disruption
Solution Approach 1:
The invention transforms the fixed chute into a dynamic system by adding a rotatable conveyor that can change its material conveyance direction, enabling the system to adapt to varying material flows and prevent accumulation while maintaining windrowing capability
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the operational parameter of material flow direction by rotating the conveyor in different directions, allowing the same structure to convey material toward either the chute surface or the spreader assembly based on operational needs
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
The rotatable conveyor effectively moves crop material, reducing the likelihood of accumulation on the leading edge and stagnation, ensuring smooth operation by directing material towards the chute or spreader, thus enhancing the efficiency of windrowing and spreading processes.
Implementation Method 1
a rotatable conveyor associated with the leading edge and having a surface with at least one conveyor projection extending from the surface, the at least one conveyor projection being configured to convey crop material away from the leading edge toward the chute surface or toward the spreader assembly during rotation
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4
AI summary
An agricultural harvesting vehicle (100) includes: a chassis (101); a header (110) carried by the chassis (101) and configured to cut crop material; a chopper (180) carried by the (101) chassis downstream of the header (110); a spreader assembly (410) carried by the chassis (101) downstream of the chopper (180); and a windrow assembly (200) carried by the chassis (101) downstream of the chopper (180), the windrow assembly (200) including a windrow chute (210) defining a chute surface (213) and a leading edge (211) downstream from the chopper (180). The agricultural vehicle (100) is characterized by a rotatable conveyor (220, 320, 520, 620, 820) associated with the leading edge (211) and having a surface (223, 323, 523, 623, 823) with at least one conveyor projection (221A, 221B, 321A, 321B, 521A, 521B, 621A, 621B, 821) extending from the surface (223, 323, 523, 623, 823), the at least one conveyor projection (221A, 221B, 321A, 321B, 521A, 521B, 621A, 621B, 821) being configured to convey crop material toward the chute surface (213) and/or the spreader assembly (410) during rotation.