Baler Reel Rotation Sensor with Displaceable Bracket

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing bale forming and wrapping apparatuses face issues with ensuring continuous and reliable wrapping material flow, particularly when transferring bales from the baling chamber to a wrapping table, leading to potential bale disintegration.

Innovation Solution

A sensor arrangement with a displaceable mounting bracket and a rotary element with a textured surface is used to detect the rotation of the wrapping material reel, ensuring continuous detection without needing operator intervention, integrated with a control unit to monitor and alert for any disruptions in the wrapping process.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If a fixed sensor mounting is used to detect reel rotation, then measurement stability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates because the sensor cannot be easily displaced during reel loading

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesensor detection stabilityVSAvoidsensor displacement during loading
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The sensor mounting bracket is made displaceable rather than fixed, allowing it to move dynamically. The bracket can be manually displaced during reel loading and then returns to its original position through a spring mechanism, combining operational flexibility with measurement stability during actual sensing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The spring-loaded mounting bracket automatically returns to its sensing position after being displaced during loading. The spring mechanism provides self-service by automatically resetting the sensor without requiring operator intervention, thus maintaining measurement stability while enabling ease of operation during loading.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Stability of the object's composition

If the rotary element is fixed in position, then structural stability is improved, but adaptability deteriorates as the element cannot be easily repositioned for different reel sizes or loading configurations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidrepositioning flexibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The rotary element is mounted on a displaceable bracket rather than being fixed directly to the housing. This dynamic mounting allows the element to be repositioned during loading operations while maintaining stable rotational detection during operation, resolving the contradiction between structural stability and adaptability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The displaceable mounting bracket acts as an intermediary between the fixed housing and the rotary element. It provides the necessary flexibility for repositioning while maintaining stable rotational detection, mediating between the conflicting requirements of structural stability and adaptability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If continuous sensor monitoring is implemented to detect reel rotation, then reliability of wrapping process is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional sensor and control systems

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewrapping material flow detectionVSAvoidsensor and control system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The sensor detects reel rotation and provides feedback to the control system, which monitors the wrapping process continuously. This feedback mechanism ensures reliable detection of wrapping material flow while using a relatively simple sensor and control architecture, minimizing the increase in device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The sensor system automatically detects reel rotation and triggers appropriate control actions without requiring complex external monitoring systems. The self-service nature of the detection system maintains reliability while keeping the overall device complexity manageable.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP3939413B1Baling apparatus
Publication Date: 2024.09.11 AGCO CORP
  • EP3939413B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3939413B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3939413B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

A sensor arrangement for detecting rotation of a reel of wrapping material is disclosed. The arrangement comprises a displaceable mounting bracket, a rotary element mounted for rotation on the displaceable mounting bracket, the rotary element being provided with a textured surface and a sensor mounted on the displaceable mounting bracket for detecting rotation of the rotary element. The arrangement is located on a baler such that the rotary element is driven by a dispensing reel of wrapping material during baling cycle.