Separating disk and assembly for nut harvester

Abstract

Systems and methods for separating harvested crop product from twigs, dirt, dust, and other debris. A disk to be used in a harvester includes a first segment and a second segment and is configured to cooperate with adjacent disks axially mounted on a common rotational shaft, and radially cooperate with disks mounted on a parallel rotational shaft. The disks are used in a roller assembly or a harvester, and gaps between cooperating disks remain effectively constant during operation.

1 . A disk for use in a harvester, comprising:
 a non-circular unitary body;   a hole extending through the body and defining a first rotational axis;   a first segment of the body including a first outside perimeter and a first segment thickness;   a second segment of the body adjacent to a first face of the first segment, the second segment including a second outside perimeter smaller than the first outside perimeter and a second segment thickness greater than the first segment thickness;   wherein:
 the disk is configured to cooperate with disks mounted along a second rotational axis parallel to the first rotational axis, whereby a first axial gap and a second axial gap between cooperating disks combine to equal the second segment thickness minus the first segment thickness, and a radial gap is defined by a distance between the first outside perimeter of a disk mounted along the first rotational axis and a second outside perimeter of a cooperating disk mounted along the second rotational axis. 
   
     
     
         2 . The disk of  claim 1 , wherein a perimeter of the hole has a plurality of hole sides and the first and second outside perimeters have a plurality of disk sides, the number of disk sides being different than the number of hole sides. 
     
     
         3 . The disk of  claim 2 , wherein the perimeter of the hole has four hole sides and the first and second outside perimeters have three disk sides. 
     
     
         4 . The disk of  claim 3 , wherein the first outside perimeter has three apexes connected by three arcs and the second outside perimeter has three apexes connected by three arcs, wherein the arcs have a same radius that is based on a radius of a circle. 
     
     
         5 . The disk of  claim 4 , wherein apexes of the first outside perimeter align with apexes of the second outside perimeter. 
     
     
         6 . The disk of  claim 5 , wherein the disk is configured to cooperate with an axially adjacent disk such that the apexes of the first outside perimeter align with the apexes of a first outside perimeter of the axially adjacent disk. 
     
     
         7 . The disk of  claim 5 , wherein the disk is configured to cooperate with an axially adjacent disk such that the apexes of the first outside perimeter are rotationally oriented at different angles compared to apexes of a first outside perimeter of the adjacent disk. 
     
     
         8 . The disk of  claim 5 , further comprising a third segment of the body adjacent to a second face of first segment of the body, the third segment including:
 a third outside perimeter smaller than the second outside perimeter; and   a third segment thickness less than the second segment thickness.   
     
     
         9 . The disk of  claim 8 , wherein the second outside perimeter is a first hollow projection having a cavity and the second segment further includes a second hollow projection in a shape of the perimeter of the hole, and the third outside perimeter is a third hollow projection configured to interlock with the cavity of the second segment of an adjacent disk. 
     
     
         10 . The disk of  claim 9 , wherein apexes of the third outside perimeter are offset from the apexes of the first and second outside perimeters such that the disk is configured to interlock with an adjacent disk and the apexes of the first outside perimeter of the disk are rotationally oriented at different angles compared to apexes of a first outside perimeter of the adjacent disk. 
     
     
         11 . The disk of  claim 9 , wherein apexes of the third outside perimeter align with the apexes of the first and second outside perimeters such that the disk is configured to interlock with an adjacent disk and the apexes of the first outside perimeter of the disk are aligned with apexes of a first outside perimeter of the adjacent disk. 
     
     
         12 . The disk of  claim 1 , wherein the first segment thickness is about half of the second segment thickness. 
     
     
         13 . The disk of  claim 12 , wherein an aspect ratio between the first disk segment and the second disk segment is about three to two. 
     
     
         14 . The disk of  claim 12 , wherein the first segment thickness is about one quarter of an inch thick, and the second segment thickness is about one half of an inch thick. 
     
     
         15 . A roller assembly, comprising:
 a first roller including a plurality of disks mounted to rotate about a first rotational axis;   a second roller including a plurality of disks mounted to rotate about a second rotational axis;   wherein the disks are noncircular and configured to cooperate with the disks mounted adjacent along the first roller and with corresponding disks mounted along the second roller, whereby the gaps formed between the disks are effectively constant during rotation of the rollers.   
     
     
         16 . The roller assembly of  claim 15 , comprising:
 a first rotational shaft mounted to a roller assembly frame, wherein the first rotational shaft coincides with a first rotational axis and includes a plurality of disks axially mounted thereon;   a second rotational shaft mounted to the roller assembly frame parallel to the first rotational shaft, wherein the second rotational shaft coincides with a second rotational axis and includes a plurality of disks axially mounted thereon; and   a plurality of the disks, each including:
 a non-circular unitary body; 
 a hole extending through the body and defining a first rotational axis; 
 a first segment of the body including a first outside perimeter and a first segment thickness; and 
 a second segment of the body adjacent to a first face of the first segment, the second segment including a second outside perimeter smaller than the first outside perimeter and a second segment thickness greater than the first segment thickness; 
   wherein:
 the plurality of disks are configured to cooperate with disks mounted adjacent along the first rotational shaft and disks mounted along the second rotational shaft, whereby a first axial gap and a second axial gap between cooperating adjacent disks along the first rotational shaft combine to equal the second segment thickness minus the first segment thickness, and a radial gap is defined by a distance between the first outside perimeter of disks mounted along the first rotational shaft and the second outside perimeter of cooperating disks mounted along the second rotational shaft. 
   
     
     
         17 . The roller assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the first and second rotational shafts are separated by a radial spacing distance. 
     
     
         18 . The roller assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the radial spacing distance is adjustable when the roller assembly is not operating. 
     
     
         19 . The roller assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the radial gap is equal to the radial spacing distance minus a diameter of the disk body. 
     
     
         20 . The roller assembly of  claim 17 , further comprising an axial spacing distance between adjacent disks mounted along a rotational shaft, wherein the first axial gap and the second axial gap combine to equal the axial spacing distance plus the second segment thickness minus the first segment thickness. 
     
     
         21 . The roller assembly of  claim 17 , wherein a perimeter of the hole has a plurality of hole sides and the first and second outside perimeters have a plurality of disk sides, the number of disk sides being different than the number of hole sides. 
     
     
         22 . The roller assembly of  claim 21 , wherein the perimeter of the hole has four hole sides, and the first and second outside perimeters have three disk sides. 
     
     
         23 . The roller assembly of  claim 22 , wherein the first outside perimeter has three apexes connected by three arcs and the second outside perimeter has three apexes connected by three arcs, wherein the arcs have a same radius that is based on a radius of a circle and the apexes of the first outside perimeter align with apexes of the second outside perimeter. 
     
     
         24 . The roller assembly of  claim 23 , wherein each of the plurality of disks further includes a third segment of the body adjacent to a second face of first segment of the body, the third segment including:
 a third outside perimeter smaller than the second outside perimeter; and   a third segment thickness less than the second segment thickness.   
     
     
         25 . The roller assembly of  claim 24 , wherein the second outside perimeter is a first hollow projection having a cavity and the second segment further includes a second hollow projection in a shape of the perimeter of the hole, and the third outside perimeter is a third hollow projection configured to interlock with the cavity of the second segment of an adjacent disk. 
     
     
         26 . The roller assembly of  claim 25 , wherein apexes of the third outside perimeter are offset from the apexes of the first and second outside perimeters such that each disk is configured to mate with an adjacent disk and the apexes of the first outside perimeter of the disk are rotationally oriented at different angles compared to apexes of a first outside perimeter of the adjacent disk. 
     
     
         27 . The roller assembly of  claim 25 , wherein apexes of the third outside perimeter align with the apexes of the first and second outside perimeters such that each disk is configured to mate with an adjacent disk and the apexes of the first outside perimeter of the disk are aligned with apexes of a first outside perimeter of the adjacent disk. 
     
     
         28 . The roller assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the first segment thickness is about half of the second segment thickness. 
     
     
         29 . The roller assembly of  claim 28 , wherein an aspect ratio between the first disk segment and the second disk segment is about three to two. 
     
     
         30 . The roller assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the non-circular body is unitary. 
     
     
         31 . The roller assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the first and second perimeters are polygons having arcs, and a radius of the arcs is calculated by the formula: 
       
         
           
             
               0 
               = 
               
                 
                   - 
                   
                     
                       
                         R 
                         2 
                       
                       - 
                       
                         
                           ( 
                           
                             
                               S 
                               L 
                             
                             2 
                           
                           ) 
                         
                         2 
                       
                     
                   
                 
                 + 
                 
                   
                     ( 
                     
                       
                         cos 
                          
                         
                           ( 
                           θ 
                           ) 
                         
                       
                       - 
                       1 
                     
                     ) 
                   
                    
                   
                     ( 
                     
                       
                         
                           S 
                           L 
                         
                         - 
                         
                           S 
                           S 
                         
                       
                       
                         2 
                          
                         
                           sin 
                            
                           
                             ( 
                             θ 
                             ) 
                           
                         
                       
                     
                     ) 
                   
                 
                 + 
                 
                   
                     
                       R 
                       2 
                     
                     - 
                     
                       
                         ( 
                         
                           
                             S 
                             S 
                           
                           2 
                         
                         ) 
                       
                       2 
                     
                   
                 
               
             
           
         
         wherein R is the radius, S L  is a length of a side of the first outside perimeter, S S  is a length of a side of the second outside perimeter, and θ is a degree of an angle of a bisected, included angle of the polygons that is calculated by diving 180 degrees by the number of sides of the polygons. 
       
     
     
         32 . The roller assembly of  claim 15 , wherein at least one of the disks on at least one of the rollers is larger than its respective corresponding disk on the other roller. 
     
     
         33 . The roller assembly of  claim 15 , wherein at least one of the disks are oriented at rotational angles with respect to its adjacent disks on the same roller. 
     
     
         34 . The roller assembly of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 a power take off;   a fan assembly;   a hydraulic pump;   a hydraulic motor;   a crop product collection mechanism;   an exit conveyor; and   a mechanical connection between the hydraulic motor and the roller assembly.   
     
     
         35 . A method for removing dirt and debris from harvested nuts, comprising the steps of:
 providing a roller assembly including:
 a first rotational shaft mounted to a roller assembly frame, wherein the first rotational shaft coincides with a first rotational axis and includes a plurality of disks axially mounted thereon; 
 a second rotational shaft mounted to the roller assembly frame parallel to the first rotational shaft, wherein the second rotational shaft coincides with a second rotational axis and includes a plurality of disks axially mounted thereon; and 
 a plurality of disks, each including:
 a non-circular unitary body; 
 a hole extending through the body and defining a first rotational axis; 
 a first segment of the body including a first outside perimeter and a first segment thickness; and 
 a second segment of the body adjacent to a first face of the first segment, the second segment including a second outside perimeter smaller than the first outside perimeter and a second segment thickness greater than the first segment thickness; 
 
   simultaneously rotating the first and second rotational shafts, wherein the plurality of disks are configured to cooperate with disks mounted adjacent along the first rotational shaft and disks mounted along the second rotational shaft, whereby a first axial gap and a second axial gap between cooperating adjacent disks along the first rotational shaft combine to equal the second segment thickness minus the first segment thickness, and a radial gap is defined by a distance between the first outside perimeter of disks mounted along the first rotational shaft and the second outside perimeter of cooperating disks mounted along the second rotational shaft; and   allowing dirt and debris to fall through spacing between the plurality of disks defined by the first axial gap, the second axial gap, and the radial gap.   
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the first and second rotational shafts are separated by a radial spacing distance. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the radial spacing distance is adjustable when the roller assembly is not operating. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising an axial spacing distance between adjacent disks mounted along a rotational shaft, wherein the first axial gap and the second axial gap combine to equal the axial spacing distance plus the second segment thickness minus the first segment thickness. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein a perimeter of the hole has a plurality of hole sides and the first and second outside perimeters have a plurality of disk sides, the number of disk sides being different than the number of hole sides. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the perimeter of the hole has four hole sides, and the first and second outside perimeters have three disk sides. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the first outside perimeter has three apexes connected by three arcs and the second outside perimeter has three apexes connected by three arcs, wherein the arcs have a same radius that is based on a radius of a circle and the apexes of the first outside perimeter align with apexes of the second outside perimeter. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein each of the plurality of disks further includes a third segment of the body adjacent to a second face of first segment of the body, the third segment including:
 a third outside perimeter smaller than the second outside perimeter; and   a third segment thickness less than the second segment thickness.   
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the second outside perimeter is a first hollow projection having a cavity and the second segment further includes a second hollow projection in a shape of the perimeter of the hole, and the third outside perimeter is a third hollow projection configured to interlock with the cavity of the second segment of an adjacent disk. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein apexes of the third outside perimeter are offset from the apexes of the first and second outside perimeters such that each disk is configured to mate with an adjacent disk and the apexes of the first outside perimeter of the disk are rotationally oriented at different angles compared to apexes of a first outside perimeter of the adjacent disk. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein apexes of the third outside perimeter align with the apexes of the first and second outside perimeters such that each disk is configured to mate with an adjacent disk and the apexes of the first outside perimeter of the disk are aligned with apexes of a first outside perimeter of the adjacent disk. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the first segment thickness is about half of the second segment thickness. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein an aspect ratio between the first disk segment and the second disk segment is about three to two. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein a perimeter of the hole has a plurality of hole sides and the first and second outside perimeters have a plurality of disk sides, the number of disk sides being different than the number of hole sides.