Cleaning system for a combine harvester including electromagnetically driven sieves

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10820520-B2
Application number	US-201815985945-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 22, 2018
Priority date	May 22, 2018
Publication date	Nov 3, 2020
Grant date	Nov 3, 2020

Abstract

A cleaning system for a combine harvester includes a sieve for capturing grain, and a magnetic propulsion system configured to move the sieve in a reciprocating motion with respect to a stationary housing of the combine harvester. The magnetic propulsion system includes a magnet that moves as the sieve moves and a plurality of electromagnets arranged along a path of movement of the magnet during a throw stroke and a return stroke of the sieve. During the throw stroke, the plurality of electromagnets may be one of attracted to and repulsed by the magnet. During the return stroke, the plurality of electromagnets may be another of attracted to and repulsed by the magnet. The magnet may move along an arc, and the plurality of magnet may be arranged along an arc adjacent to the magnet.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cleaning system for a combine harvester, said cleaning system comprising:
a sieve for capturing grain; and
a magnetic propulsion system configured to move the sieve in a reciprocating motion with respect to a stationary housing of the combine harvester, the magnetic propulsion system comprising:
a magnetic material disposed to move along a path; and
a plurality of electromagnets for attracting or repelling the magnetic material, the plurality of electromagnets disposed along the path of the magnetic material.

2. The cleaning system of claim 1 , wherein the magnetic material is either a magnet or a ferromagnetic material.

3. The cleaning system of claim 1 , wherein the magnetic material is fixedly mounted to the sieve, and the plurality of electromagnets is mounted to the stationary housing, such that either magnetic attraction or magnetic repulsion causes the sieve to move with respect to the stationary housing.

4. The cleaning system of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of electromagnets is arranged side-by-side along the path of the magnetic.

5. The cleaning system of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of electromagnets comprises two electromagnets, and the magnetic material is positioned between the two electromagnets.

6. The cleaning system of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of electromagnets is further arranged along an arc.

7. The cleaning system of claim 1 further comprising a controller configured to control the magnetic propulsion system for moving the sieve in the reciprocating motion with respect to the stationary housing of the combine harvester.

8. The cleaning system of claim 1 further comprising a second sieve that is connected to said sieve by one or more links, wherein the one or more links are configured to transfer motion of said sieve to said second sieve.

9. The cleaning system of claim 1 further comprising a second sieve and a second magnetic propulsion system configured to move the second sieve in a reciprocating motion with respect to the stationary housing of the combine harvester.

10. The cleaning system of claim 1 , wherein the magnetic propulsion system is configured to move the sieve in fore-to-aft and vertical directions, and the cleaning system further comprises a side-shaking control system for moving the sieve in a side-to-side direction that is orthogonal to the fore to aft fore-to-aft and vertical directions.

11. The cleaning system of claim 10 , wherein the side-shaking control system comprises a linear actuator that is connected between the sieve and the stationary housing.

12. The cleaning system of claim 10 , wherein the side-shaking control system comprises the magnetic propulsion system.

13. The cleaning system of claim 10 , wherein the side-shaking control system comprises a second magnetic propulsion system, and the second magnetic propulsion system comprises (i) a magnetic material, and (ii) at least one electromagnet that is capable of either attracting or repelling the magnetic material.

14. A cleaning system for a combine harvester, said cleaning system comprising:
a sieve for capturing grain;
a magnetic propulsion system configured to move the sieve in a reciprocating motion in fore-to-aft and vertical directions with respect to a stationary housing of the combine harvester, the magnetic propulsion system comprising:
a magnetic material disposed to move along a path; and
a plurality of electromagnets for attracting or repelling the magnetic material, the plurality of electromagnets disposed along the path of the magnetic material; and

a side-shaking control system for moving the sieve in a side-to-side direction that is orthogonal to the fore-to-aft and vertical directions.

15. The cleaning system of claim 14 , wherein the side-shaking control system comprises a linear actuator that is connected between the sieve and the stationary housing.

16. The cleaning system of claim 14 , wherein the side-shaking control system comprises the magnetic propulsion system.

17. The cleaning system of claim 14 , wherein the side-shaking control system comprises a second magnetic propulsion system, and the second magnetic propulsion system comprises (i) a magnetic material, and (ii) at least one electromagnet that is capable of either attracting or repelling the magnetic material.

18. The cleaning system of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of electromagnets is arranged side-by-side along the path of the magnetic material.

19. The cleaning system of claim 18 , wherein the plurality of electromagnets is further arranged along an arc.

20. A cleaning system for a combine harvester, said cleaning system comprising:
a sieve for capturing grain; and
a magnetic propulsion system configured to move the sieve in a reciprocating motion in fore-to-aft and vertical directions with respect to a stationary housing of the combine harvester, the magnetic propulsion system comprising:
a magnetic material fixedly mounted to one of the sieve and the stationary housing; and
a plurality of electromagnets affixed to the other of the sieve and the stationary housing, the plurality of electromagnets for attracting or repelling the magnetic material to cause the sieve to move with respect to the stationary housing, the plurality of electromagnets disposed along a path along which the magnetic material or the plurality of electromagnets moves.

21. The cleaning system of claim 20 further comprising a side-shaking control system for moving the sieve in a side-to-side direction that is orthogonal to the fore-to-aft and vertical directions.

22. The cleaning system of claim 20 , wherein the plurality of electromagnets is arranged side-by-side along the path.

23. The cleaning system of claim 22 , wherein the plurality of electromagnets is further arranged along an arc.

Assignees

• Cnh Ind America Llc

Inventors

• Hillen Curtis Frederick
• Turner Daniel Thomas

Classifications

• A01F12/446 Primary

  Sieving means · CPC title

• A01F12/32

  with shaker screens or sieves · CPC title

• A01F12/56

  Driving mechanisms for the threshing parts · CPC title

• A01F12/448 Primary

  Sieve adjusting means · CPC title