US-12622356-B2 - Self-propelled harvester including an adapter unit detachably positioned between a mounting device and an attachment

US12622356B2US 12622356 B2US12622356 B2US 12622356B2US-12622356-B2

Abstract

A self-propelled harvester is disclosed. The self-propelled harvester includes a mounting device, which has a feed means for harvested material, for mounting an attachment on the harvester. An adapter unit may be detachably arranged between the mounting device and the attachment, such that the adapter unit is designed to couple the attachment to the mounting device. Further, the adapter unit may be configured to adjust an inclination of the attachment with respect to the mounting device in the longitudinal direction and in the transverse direction.

Inventors

Christopher Miller
Seth Zentner
KEVIN WILKENING

Assignees

CLAAS OMAHA INC.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20221125

Claims (20)

1 . A self-propelled harvester comprising: a mounting device comprising a feeder for harvested material and configured to mount an attachment on the harvester; an adapter unit configured to be detachably positioned between the mounting device and the attachment, wherein the adapter unit comprises a stationary frame element and a relatively-movable frame element movable relative to the stationary frame element, wherein the adapter unit comprises a driven intermediate conveyor which is positioned between an outlet opening of the attachment and an opening of the mounting device; and an angular gear positioned on the stationary frame element below the intermediate conveyor; wherein the adapter unit is configured to couple the attachment to the mounting device; wherein the adapter unit is configured to adjust an inclination of the attachment with respect to the mounting device in a longitudinal direction and a transverse direction relative to a forward direction of travel of the harvester; and wherein the angular gear includes two coaxial output shafts configured to drive two gearboxes positioned opposite one another on at least one of the relatively-movable frame element or the stationary frame element.
2 . The harvester of claim 1 , wherein the stationary frame element is configured to affix to the mounting device; and wherein each of the stationary frame element and the relatively-movable frame element has a through-hole.
3 . The harvester of claim 1 , wherein the relatively-movable frame element is configured to be adjustable in: the transverse direction about a virtual pendulum axis running in the longitudinal direction of the mounting device; and the longitudinal direction about a horizontal pivot axis positioned on the stationary frame element and running transversely with respect to a longitudinal axis of the mounting device.
4 . The harvester of claim 3 , wherein the relatively-movable frame element sectionally encloses the stationary frame element in a region of the horizontal pivot axis.
5 . The harvester of claim 4 , wherein at least two rollers are positioned opposite one another on the relatively-movable frame element in an outer edge region; and wherein the at least two rollers are supported on correspondingly designed guide elements positioned on the stationary frame element.
6 . The harvester of claim 1 , further comprising at least one actuator configured to adjust the inclination of the attachment relative to the mounting device in the longitudinal direction.
7 . The harvester of claim 6 , wherein the adapter unit is configured to adjust the inclination in the longitudinal direction within a range substantially between ±4°, and configured to adjust the inclination in transverse direction within a range substantially between ±4.5°.
8 . The harvester of claim 1 , wherein the adapter unit includes a feed floor which extends below the intermediate conveyor and is formed between a delivery region in front of the outlet opening of the attachment and a receiving region below the feeder with a substantially stepless transition or a transition adapted to inclination of the delivery region of the attachment and the receiving region of the feeder.
9 . The harvester of claim 1 , wherein the intermediate conveyor is configured to float by being adjustable responsive to volume fluctuations in flow of the harvested material supplied by the attachment.
10 . The harvester of claim 9 , further comprising a control unit configured to variably adapt a drive speed of the intermediate conveyor to a drive speed of one or both of the feeder or a downstream working unit of the harvester.
11 . The harvester of claim 10 , characterized in that the intermediate conveyor is driven indirectly or directly by a variable-speed hydraulic motor.
12 . The harvester of claim 11 , wherein operation of the hydraulic motor is independent of drive means for the attachment.
13 . The harvester of claim 11 , further comprising at least one stage chain drive configured to indirectly drive the intermediate conveyor.
14 . The harvester of claim 11 , wherein the intermediate conveyor comprises a drive shaft; and further comprising a hydraulic drive arranged on the drive shaft and configured to directly drive the intermediate conveyor.
15 . The harvester of claim 14 , further comprising at least one sensor positioned on the adapter unit and configured to detect a deflection of the intermediate conveyor.
16 . The harvester of claim 15 , further comprising a control unit configured to: receive an indication of the deflection of the intermediate conveyor; and control, based on the indication of the deflection of the intermediate conveyor, a rotational speed of the intermediate conveyor by actuating the hydraulic drive.
17 . The harvester of claim 1 , wherein the two gearboxes are each positioned in a housing which, starting from the output shafts of the angular gear, extend substantially vertically in a direction of the intermediate conveyor; and wherein an output shaft of a respective gearbox extends outward above and axially parallel to a respective output shaft of the angular gear.
18 . The harvester of claim 1 , wherein the intermediate conveyor comprises a paddle drum.
19 . The harvester of claim 18 , wherein the paddle drum includes carrier elements arranged in a plurality of rows one behind the other on its circumferential surface at a distance from one another in an axial direction; and wherein the carrier elements are positioned in rows offset from one another in a tangential direction.
20 . The harvester of claim 18 , wherein at least one overhaul element is detachably positioned on the paddle drum and configured to dismantle the paddle drum.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a self-propelled harvester. BACKGROUND This section is intended to introduce various aspects of the art, which may be associated with exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. This discussion is believed to assist in providing a framework to facilitate a better understanding of particular aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood that this section should be read in this light, and not necessarily as admissions of prior art. U.S. Pat. No. 8,322,122, incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, discloses a self-propelled harvester designed as a forage harvester, which may include an adapter unit for coupling an attachment designed as a mowing attachment for a combine to a mounting device designed as a feed channel, which may be detachably connected to the mounting device and the attachment. DE 20 2007 011 411 U1 discloses an adapter unit that is configured to attach an attachment for a combine to a forage harvester. The adapter unit may have a conveyor feed roller designed as a screw conveyor for conveying harvested material, which has been collected by the attachment, into the mounting device. The screw conveyor may serve to bring the flow of harvested material together into the center before the flow of harvested material exits the adapter unit and may be grasped by a feed means arranged in the mounting device; in the case of a forage harvester, the feed means may be designed as feed rollers. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present application is further described in the detailed description which follows, in reference to the noted drawings by way of non-limiting examples of exemplary implementation, in which like reference numerals represent similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings, and wherein: FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a harvester in a side view with an attachment and an adapter unit; FIGS. 2a-b show schematic representations of the adapter unit in a side view in a first longitudinally inclined position in FIG. 2a and in a second longitudinally inclined position in FIG. 2b; FIG. 3 schematically shows a simplified partial perspective view of the adapter unit from behind; FIG. 4 schematically shows a partial view of the adapter unit from behind; FIG. 5 schematically shows a partially cut-out side view of the adapter unit; FIG. 6 schematically shows a simplified front view of a relatively movable and stationary frame element of the adapter unit; FIG. 7 schematically shows a partially cut-out, perspective view of the adapter unit from behind; FIG. 8 shows a partial view of the adapter unit from behind with a hydraulic drive of an intermediate conveyor; FIG. 9 shows a partial rear view of the adapter unit with a hydraulic drive of the intermediate conveyor according to a further embodiment; and FIG. 10 shows a partial view of the adapter unit from behind with a direct hydraulic drive of the intermediate conveyor. DETAILED DESCRIPTION As discussed in the background, an adapter unit, which may include a screw conveyor to convey the harvested material into a center (or a central area or a middle area), may be used as an attachment for a combine to a forage harvester. Aggressively gathering the harvested material in the middle of the adapter unit may result in supply problems occurring when a working unit is downstream from the feed means. This may be due to higher pressures and an increase in friction in the adapter unit, which may result in a deterioration in the delivery rate of crop. In turn, the deterioration of the harvested material delivery rate may reduce the amount of harvested material that can be transported through the adapter unit to the mounting device in order to supply it to the downstream working unit. This may result in a reduced harvesting speed and therefore a reduced efficiency of the harvesting process. Furthermore, this concentration on the center (or other central area) may result in uneven wear on the downstream working unit. In the case of a forage harvester, the downstream working unit may be a chopping device on which uneven blade wear may occur. Thus, in one or some embodiments, a forage harvester is disclosed so that attachments may be coupled to the mounting device in such a way that they may follow a change in ground contours without modification of the mounting device. In one or some embodiments, a self-propelled harvester is disclosed comprising a mounting device having a feed means (e.g., a feeder) configured to feed harvested material into and/or within the harvester and configured to mount an attachment on the harvester. The harvester further includes an adapter unit that is detachably arranged or positioned between the mounting device and the attachment. In one or some embodiments, the adapter unit is designed to couple the attachment to the mounting device, wherein the adapter unit is configured to adjust an inclination of the attachment relati