Adjustable Sledge Pivot for Uniform Round Bale Formation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional round balers suffer from an air gap or pocket between the sledge rollers and the bale perimeter, particularly for smaller diameter bales, due to a fixed pivot point that limits the sledge's rotational position, leading to material accumulation and inefficient bale formation.
Innovation Solution
A sledge assembly with an arm and rollers that is pivotable and translatable relative to the frame, allowing the pivot axis to adjust based on bale diameter, ensuring the sledge rollers match the bale profile by translating along the fore-aft direction and being controlled by a sensor and actuator system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the sledge pivots about a single fixed pivot point, then the sledge structure is simple and stable, but an air gap forms between the sledge rollers and the bale perimeter leading to material accumulation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the fixed pivot point into a movable pivot point that can translate along the fore-aft direction. The arm carrying the sledge rollers is pivotable relative to the frame about a pivot axis, and the arm itself is translatable in the fore-to-aft direction, which changes the position of the pivot axis. This dynamic adjustment allows the sledge to adapt to different bale diameters and maintain proper contact without material accumulation gaps.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the sledge has a fixed arc diameter configuration, then the sledge structure is simple, but it cannot adapt to smaller diameter bales resulting in gaps and poor packing
Solution Approach 1:
The sledge configuration is made dynamic through the translatable arm mechanism. As the arm translates in the fore-aft direction, the effective arc diameter formed by the sledge rollers changes, allowing adaptation to different bale sizes. This eliminates the need for multiple fixed configurations while maintaining versatility across different bale diameters.
3Productivity
If the pivot point is fixed, then the sledge maintains stable position, but material accumulates in gaps for smaller diameter bales reducing productivity
Solution Approach 1:
The movable pivot point system dynamically adjusts the sledge position to maintain optimal contact with the bale perimeter throughout the formation process. This eliminates material accumulation gaps and ensures continuous efficient bale formation, improving productivity while the system automatically controls position through the mechanical linkage.
Data Source
AI summary
A rotary baler includes a frame defining an expandable bale-forming chamber. A sledge assembly forms at least part of the expandable bale-forming chamber. The sledge assembly includes an arm and one or more rollers that are mounted to the arm. The one or more rollers are configured to assist in forming a bale within the chamber. The arm is pivotable relative to the frame about a pivot axis. The arm is also translatable in the fore to aft direction of the rotary baler relative to the frame, which changes a position of the pivot axis in the fore to aft direction.