Adjustable Pre-Compression Chamber for Baler Bale Density

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional balers face challenges in optimizing the pre-compression chamber's dimensions and shape to ensure uniform distribution and density of crop material within the bale, leading to inefficiencies in bale formation and quality.

Innovation Solution

An adjustable pre-compression chamber with movable walls and actuators that allow for continuous adjustment of the inlet and outlet dimensions and shapes, enabling precise control over the flow and distribution of crop material into the compression chamber, thereby influencing the bale's density and distribution pattern.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If the pre-compression chamber has fixed dimensions and shape, then the device structure is simple, but the distribution uniformity and bale quality are poor

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedistribution uniformityVSAvoidchamber structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The pre-compression chamber incorporates movable walls that can dynamically adjust the chamber's dimensions and shape during operation. This dynamic structure allows optimization of crop material distribution patterns while maintaining manageable device complexity through controlled mechanical movement rather than completely reconfigurable systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The chamber dimensions and geometric parameters are made variable through adjustable walls, allowing continuous modification of the pre-compression space. This enables optimization of material flow characteristics and distribution uniformity by changing parameters such as chamber width, height, and length according to specific baling requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Manufacturing precision

If the pre-compression chamber is adjustable, then the bale density and distribution are optimized, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebale density uniformityVSAvoidadjustment mechanism
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The adjustment mechanism focuses on specific localized areas of the pre-compression chamber where dimensional changes most significantly impact bale quality. Rather than adjusting the entire chamber uniformly, selective local adjustments are made to optimize material distribution in critical zones, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining high bale density uniformity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Ease of operation

If the inlet and outlet dimensions are continuously adjustable, then the crop material flow control is precise, but the mechanism complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflow control precisionVSAvoidadjustment mechanism
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The inlet and outlet dimensions are made dynamically adjustable through mechanically linked movement systems that coordinate changes in real-time. This allows precise control of crop material flow rates and distribution patterns while using integrated mechanical linkages rather than multiple independent actuators, thereby maintaining ease of operation with reduced mechanism complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP3622805B1Baler with adjustable pre-compression chamber
Publication Date: 2021.06.23 DEERE & CO
  • EP3622805B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3622805B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2B
  • EP3622805B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3B

AI summary

A baler including a frame (14), and a compression system (26) coupled to the frame (14), where the compression system (26) at least partially defines a compression chamber (96). The baler also includes a feed pan (66) at least partially defining a pre-compression chamber (70) in operable communication with the compression chamber (96), where the feed pan (66) includes an inlet (90) defining an inlet area (122, 122a, 122b) and an outlet (94) defining an outlet area (134, 134a, 134b), and where the outlet (94) of the pre-compression chamber (70) is open to the compression chamber (96) of the compression system (26). The baler also includes at least one actuator (146, 162) coupled to the feed pan (66), and a controller (322) in operable communication with the at least one actuator (146, 162), and where the controller (322) is configured to adjust the inlet area (122, 122a, 122b) and the outlet area (134, 134a, 134b) independently.