Bale Forming Apparatus with Movable Rollers and Connecting Slide
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional round balers with fixed-size bale forming chambers can only produce bales of a single diameter and struggle to vary the pressure applied during bale formation, limiting their versatility in forming bales with different diameters and material densities.
Innovation Solution
A bale forming apparatus with a plurality of rotating rollers, where at least one set of rollers can be moved perpendicular to their axis to adjust the chamber size, using a connecting slide to vary the number of delimiting rollers, allowing for the formation of bales with different diameters and varying material densities without the need for pivotal lever arms or pressing belts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If pressing rollers are stationary mounted, then the structure is simple, but the bale forming chamber size is fixed and cannot vary
Solution Approach 1:
The pressing rollers are designed to be movable rather than stationary, allowing them to shift laterally to adjust the chamber size dynamically during bale formation. This enables the system to transition from a fixed-structure design to an adaptive one where roller positions can be modified based on bale diameter requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The same set of pressing rollers serves multiple functions: they can be positioned in different configurations to form chambers of varying sizes, allowing a single apparatus to produce bales of different diameters without requiring separate dedicated rollers for each size.
2Adaptability or versatility
If pressing rollers are moved perpendicular to rotating axis, then chamber size can be varied, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
A connecting slide mechanism serves as an intermediary device that simplifies the connection and movement of pressing rollers. Instead of complex individual actuators for each roller, the connecting slide provides a coordinated mechanism to adjust roller positions and maintain connections during chamber size variations.
Solution Approach 2:
The pressing rollers are divided into two sets that can be independently positioned and connected. This segmentation allows flexible configuration where rollers can be arranged in different patterns to create various chamber sizes, and the connecting slide can selectively connect rollers from different sets.
3Adaptability or versatility
If pivotal lever arms are used to move rollers, then chamber size can be adjusted, but the number of spare parts increases
Solution Approach 1:
The connecting slide combines multiple functions into a single component: it connects pressing rollers from different sets, enables lateral movement for chamber size adjustment, and maintains roller positioning. This consolidation reduces the need for separate pivotal lever arms and associated spare parts.
Solution Approach 2:
The connecting slide serves as a universal component that handles both connection and positioning tasks for multiple rollers, replacing the need for individual pivotal lever arms for each roller adjustment, thereby reducing the total number of parts and spare components required.
4Duration of action of moving object
If pressing belts are used, then continuous pressure can be applied, but slipping and tensioning devices are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the pressing belt mechanical system with direct roller-to-material contact. Instead of relying on friction-based belt pressure that requires tensioning devices to prevent slipping, the system uses the mechanical pressure directly applied by the movable pressing rollers, eliminating the need for complex tensioning mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The pressing belt and its associated tensioning devices are completely removed from the system. The essential function of applying continuous pressure is extracted and achieved more simply through the direct mechanical action of the pressing rollers that can be moved into contact with the bale material.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention refers to a bale forming apparatus (1) with several bale forming rollers (10.1, …, 11.6, 23.1, …, 24.2, 8.1, 8.2) and to a bale forming method by using such a bale forming apparatus(1). A bale forming chamber (12) is positioned between a first set (10) and a second set (11) of bale forming rollers (10.1, …, 11.6). At least one bale forming roller (10.1, …, 10.5) of the first set (10) can move perpendicular to its rotating axis, thereby changing the size of the bale forming chamber (12). A connecting slide (16) can be moved along the sequence of rollers (10.1, …, 10.6) of the first set (10). In every sliding position the connecting slide (16) connects one roller of the first set (10) with one roller of the second set (11).