Round Bale Ejection Orientation for Wrap Tail Ground Clearance

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing round balers face issues where the tail end of the wrap material, after being cut and left near the ground, can become intertwined with plant growth, leading to unwinding and potential damage to work vehicles due to the material being pulled, and the shape of the bale can become unstable due to the loss of the wrap material.

Innovation Solution

A baler controller that determines the position of the wrap material, the bale ejection algorithm to solve the position of the tail end of the wrap material, the bale ejection algorithm to determine the position of the tail end of the wrap material, and the bale transfer device to control the bale's orientation during ejection, ensuring the tail end remains attached to the bale.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the tail end of the wrap material is left near the ground surface after ejection, then the bale can be easily ejected, but the tail end becomes intertwined with plant growth and may be pulled away, causing unwinding and potential damage to work vehicles

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebale ejection efficiencyVSAvoidwrap material attachment stability

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system determines the position of the tail end of the wrap material on the bale before ejection, and based on this position, controls the bale transfer device to orient the bale such that the tail end is positioned at a safe distance from the ground. This preliminary positioning action prevents the harmful effect of plant growth entanglement before it can occur.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The wrap sensor detects the position of the tail end of the wrap material on the bale, providing feedback to the baler controller. The controller uses this feedback information to determine the appropriate orientation for bale ejection, ensuring the tail end is positioned safely away from the ground to prevent entanglement with plant growth.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Device complexity

If the tail end of the wrap material contacts the ground, then the bale structure is simpler, but plant growth interweaves through the wrap material openings and detaches the tail end, compromising bale shape stability

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebale structure simplicityVSAvoidbale shape stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

Before the bale is ejected and before plant growth can interweave with the wrap material, the system calculates and executes the proper bale orientation based on tail end position detection. This preliminary action ensures the tail end remains elevated and prevents the subsequent harmful effect of plant growth causing shape instability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system applies a counter-action by positioning the tail end of the wrap material away from the ground contact area. This preliminary anti-action prevents plant growth from reaching and interweaving with the wrap material, thereby maintaining bale shape stability without requiring additional structural complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

3Ease of operation

If the tail end of the wrap material is pulled when the bale is moved, then the wrap material unwinds from the bale, but this requires operating intervention to remove and potentially damages work vehicle components

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebale handling simplicityVSAvoidwork vehicle damage risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system determines the tail end position and calculates the appropriate bale orientation before ejection. By preliminarily positioning the tail end at a safe distance from the ground, the system prevents the harmful effect of wrap material unwinding and subsequent work vehicle damage without requiring additional operational intervention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses the detected tail end position information, which could indicate a potential problem, to instead optimize the bale ejection orientation. This converts what could be a harmful situation (tail end near ground) into a beneficial outcome (tail end positioned safely away), preventing wrap unwinding and work vehicle damage while maintaining ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Data Source

PatentEP4659562A1Round bale ground placement orientation during baler ejection

Publication Date: 2025.12.10 DEERE & CO

Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3

AI summary

A baler implement (20) includes a baling chamber (34). A wrap system (68) wraps a wrap material around a bale (41) within the baling chamber (34). A wrap sensor (84) detects data related to a position of a tail end of the wrap material on the bale (41). A bale transfer device (90) pushes the bale (41) away during ejection from the baler implement (20). A baler controller (95) determines a position of the tail end of the wrap material on the bale (41) within the baling chamber (34), and initiates the ejection sequence to eject the bale (41) onto a ground surface. The baler controller (95) controls the bale transfer device (90) based on the position of the tail end of the wrap material, such that the bale (41) comes to rest with at least a minimum length of the wrap material extending between the tail end of the wrap material and a ground contact location disposed nearest the tail end of the wrap material.