Round Baler Ejection Ramp Pressure Sensing Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing round baler ejection systems are unreliable and costly due to mechanical components that fail in dirty environments, and they often fail to keep discharged bales away from the discharge gate until it is closed.
Innovation Solution
A pressure sensing valve is used to detect when a hydraulically powered ramp or pushbar is in the home position, allowing the discharge gate to close without contacting the bale by sensing the rapid increase in system pressure as the ramp or pushbar cylinder hits its end stroke, ensuring the bale is held away from the gate.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a mechanical/hydraulic plunger valve is used to sense the ramp home position, then the gate closing timing can be controlled, but the device becomes costly and unreliable due to dirty environment and additional mechanical parts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical/hydraulic plunger valve sensing system with an electronic sensor system. The electronic sensor detects the ramp home position through electrical signals, eliminating mechanical contact parts that fail in dirty environments. This substitution maintains reliable home position detection while removing the problematic mechanical components mentioned in the contradiction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the existing hydraulic system's pressure characteristics to enable sensing. By monitoring hydraulic pressure changes that occur when the ramp reaches home position, the system can detect position without additional mechanical sensing components. This approach leverages the already-present hydraulic infrastructure to provide reliable sensing while avoiding complex mechanical additions.
2Reliability
If the ramp returns to home position quickly, then the bale can be held away from the gate, but the gate may close too early and contact the bale if timing is not precise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback control system where the electronic sensor continuously monitors the ramp home position and provides real-time information to the control system. This feedback enables precise timing of the gate closing action, ensuring the gate closes only after the bale is securely held away by the ramp. The feedback mechanism eliminates the timing precision problems by providing continuous positional information for accurate control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses preliminary action by having the ramp return to home position and be detected by the sensor before the gate closing action is initiated. This sequence ensures the bale is already held away from the gate area before the gate begins its closing motion, preventing any potential contact. The preliminary positioning and detection eliminate timing conflicts between ramp retraction and gate closing.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution provides a reliable, cost-effective method for timing the operation of the ejection device, ensuring discharged bales are kept away from the discharge gate until it is closed, improving operational efficiency and reducing mechanical reliability issues.
Implementation Method 1
using a pressure sensing valve that detects when a hydraulically powered ramp or pushbar is in the home position by the rapid increase in system pressure caused as the ramp or pushbar cylinder hits the end of its stroke
Data Source
AI summary
A large round baler is equipped with an ejection ramp which operates such that it moves from a raised home position to a lowered ejection position, only after the discharge gate has moved to a raised discharge position, and moves back to a home position prior to the gate moving back to its lowered baling position. A hydraulic system for actuating a pair of gate cylinders and a single ramp cylinder incorporates a pair of relief valves located between a selective control valve and first chambers of gate and ramp cylinders so as to cause the correct sequence and timing of the movements of the discharge gate and the ejection ramp.