Cross vented residue disposal system for an enclosed combine body

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11744177-B2
Application number	US-201916705915-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 6, 2019
Priority date	Jun 13, 2017
Publication date	Sep 5, 2023
Grant date	Sep 5, 2023

Abstract

A combine harvester includes a housing having a rear hood and defining an interior, a blower for generating an air stream in a substantially rearward direction, and a cleaning system separating residue from a crop material such that the residue is transported via the air stream rearwardly to be discharged from the housing. A chopper rotor assembly is disposed within the interior below the rear hood and includes a chopper rotor having a plurality of blades for chopping the residue as it is received via the air stream. A chopper housing is disposed within the interior and defines an inlet of the chopper rotor for receiving the residue and an outlet spaced rearward from the chopper rotor for discharge of the chopped residue from the interior of the housing. An air gap through which the air stream may exit the interior is defined between the rear hood and chopper rotor.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A combine harvester, comprising:
a housing including a rear hood and opposite side walls which define an interior;
a blower disposed in the interior of the housing, the blower configured to generate an air stream in a substantially rearward direction;
a cleaning system disposed in the interior at a location rearward from the blower, the cleaning system separating residue from a crop material such that the residue is transported via the air stream rearwardly to be discharged from the housing;
a chopper rotor assembly disposed within the interior at a location below the rear hood of the housing, the chopper rotor assembly comprising a chopper rotor mounted about a hub for rotation about an axis defined by the hub and a plurality of blades coupled to the hub of the chopper rotor for chopping the residue as it is received via the air stream;
each of the plurality of blades being substantially straight and comprising a substantially flat profile so as to chop the residue without producing an additional air stream as the chopper rotor rotates about the hub;
a chopper housing disposed within the interior and defining an inlet opening of the chopper rotor assembly for receiving the residue and an outlet spaced rearward from the chopper rotor for discharge of the chopped residue from the interior of the housing; and
an air gap defined between a rearmost portion of the rear hood and the chopper rotor;
wherein, the air stream generated by the blower flows out of the interior in the rearward direction via at least a first flow path and a second flow path, the first flow path being defined through the chopper rotor such that a first portion of the air stream flows via the first flow path through the chopper rotor without being substantially redirected by the plurality of flat profile blades of the chopper rotor, and the second flow path is defined through the air gap above the chopper rotor such that a second portion of the air stream exits the interior via the second flow path; and
further comprising a residue deflector pivotably coupled to the side walls of the housing at a location rearward of the rear hood and above the chopper rotor, the residue deflector being pivotable between at least a first position and a second position.

2. The combine harvester of claim 1 , wherein the chopper housing is substantially open above and to the rear of the chopper rotor.

3. The combine harvester of claim 1 , further comprising at least one fan blade coupled to the hub of the chopper rotor, the at least one fan blade including a bent portion for generating an additional air stream in the interior of the housing.

4. The combine harvester of claim 1 , wherein the residue deflector comprises a rod pivotably coupled to the side walls of the combine and a plurality of tines depending from the rod and into at least a portion of the air gap above the chopper rotor, the plurality of tines being spaced from one another along a width of the residue deflector to allow the second portion of the air stream to flow via the second flow path between the plurality of tines.

5. The combine harvester of claim 1 , wherein the residue deflector is oriented in a downward and forward direction in the first position, and in a rearward direction in the second position.

6. The combine harvester of claim 1 , wherein the chopper housing comprises a floor and a pair of side walls opposite one another but is open at the top and rear of the chopper rotor to permit the air stream to flow substantially unrestricted out of the interior.

7. The combine harvester of claim 1 , wherein the rear hood is free of any opening or vent such that the air flow is directed rearward via the rear hood without escaping from the interior upstream of the chopper rotor.

8. The combine harvester of claim 3 , wherein the side walls of the housing do not include any vents upstream of the chopper rotor for venting the air stream from the interior.

9. The combine harvester of claim 1 , wherein the chopper rotor does not include any fan blades coupled to the hub.

10. A combine harvester, comprising:
a housing including a rear hood and opposite side walls which define an interior;
a chopper rotor assembly disposed within the interior at a location below the rear hood of the housing, the chopper rotor assembly comprising a chopper rotor mounted about a hub for rotation about an axis defined by the hub and a plurality of blades coupled to the hub of the chopper rotor for chopping residue as it is received via an air stream upstream of the chopper rotor;
a chopper housing disposed within the interior and defining an inlet opening of the chopper rotor assembly for receiving the residue via the air stream and an outlet spaced rearward from the chopper rotor for discharge of the chopped residue from the interior of the housing; and
an air gap defined between a rearmost portion of the rear hood and the chopper rotor;
wherein, the air stream passes through the rotor inlet of the chopper rotor and flows out of the interior in the rearward direction via at least a first flow path and a second flow path, the first flow path being defined through the rotor inlet of the chopper rotor such that a first portion of the air stream flows via the first flow path through the rotor inlet of the chopper rotor without being substantially redirected by the plurality of flat profile blades of the chopper rotor, and a second portion of the air stream flows via the second flow path through the air gap above the chopper rotor such that a second portion of the air stream exits the interior via the second flow path;
further wherein, the rear hood is free of any opening or vent such that the air stream is directed rearward via the rear hood without escaping from the interior upstream of the chopper rotor; and
further comprising a residue deflector pivotably coupled to the side walls of the housing or the chopper housing at a location rearward of the rear hood and above the chopper rotor, where the residue deflector is pivotable between at least a first position and a second position.

11. The combine harvester of claim 10 , wherein each of the plurality of blades being substantially straight and comprising a substantially flat profile so as to chop the residue without producing an additional air stream as the chopper rotor rotates about the hub.

12. The combine harvester of claim 10 , wherein the side walls of the housing do not include any vents upstream of the chopper rotor for venting the air stream from the interior.

13. The combine harvester of claim 10 , wherein the chopper rotor does not include any fan blades coupled to the hub.

14. The combine harvester of claim 10 , wherein the residue deflector is oriented in a downward and forward direction in the first position, and in a rearward direction in the second position.

15. The combine harvester of claim 10 , wherein the residue deflector comprises a rod pivotably coupled to the side walls of the combine and a plurality of tines depending from the rod and into the space defined between the rear hood and the chopper rotor, the plurality of tines being spaced from one another along a width of the residue deflector to allow the second portion of the air stream to flow via the second flow path between the plurality of tines.

16. The combine harvester of claim 15 , further comprising:
a mounting bracket for coupling one end of the rod to a first side wall of the housing;
a detent plate for coupling the other end of the rod to a second side wall of the housing; and
a handle coupled to the rod for manipulating the residue de

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Puryk Corwin M
• Fuchs Volker
• Mischler Peter
• Diessner Gregor
• Rittershofer Martin
• Klein Oliver

Classifications

• A01D41/1243 Primary

  Devices for laying-out or distributing the straw · CPC title

• A01F12/40 Primary

  Arrangements of straw crushers or cutters · CPC title

• A01D41/1276

  for cleaning mechanisms · CPC title

• A01D90/06

  with chaff cutters, {i.e. choppers} used as loading and cutting means (A01D43/08 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A01F12/444

  Fanning means · CPC title