Baler Feeding Rotor and Shear Bar for Low-Power Crop Conditioning

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing agricultural balers require high power to chop crop material due to low rotational speeds of choppers, leading to increased costs and potential plugging issues.

Innovation Solution

A rotatable rotor with projections and a shear bar cooperate to condition crop material before feeding it into the baling chamber, allowing for higher rotational speeds and controlled chop quality.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Power

If a stationary knife configuration is used to chop crop material, then the chopping function is effective, but the power requirements are high and robust driveline components are required

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower requirementsVSAvoidrobust driveline components

Core Design Contradiction:

PowerVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of having stationary knives that require high-power drive systems, the patent inverts the approach by making the knives rotary and mounting them on a rotating rotor. This allows the chopping action to be achieved through the rotational motion itself, significantly reducing the power requirements and simplifying the driveline components needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the traditional high-power mechanical chopping system with a rotary impingement system where crop material is chopped through contact with rotating projections and a shear bar. This substitution reduces the mechanical power requirements while maintaining effective chopping function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Productivity

If a rotatable rotor with projections is used to feed crop material, then the feeding operates at higher rotational speeds with smoother feeding, but the chop quality control becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefeeding efficiencyVSAvoidchop quality control

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a dynamically adjustable shear bar that can be moved to different positions relative to the rotating rotor projections. This dynamic adjustment capability allows the system to maintain high rotational speeds for smooth feeding while providing flexible control over chop quality by varying the shear bar position, thus resolving the complexity issue.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Manufacturing precision

If the shear bar is positioned to condition all crop material, then the chop quality is improved, but crop material passage without chopping is prevented

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvechop qualityVSAvoidcrop material passage option

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The shear bar is designed to be movable rather than fixed, allowing it to be dynamically positioned. When positioned closer to the rotor, it provides intensive conditioning for all material. When moved away or repositioned, it allows selective passage of certain crop materials without chopping, thus providing both high chop quality control and adaptability for different crop types or baling conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

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

The system operates at higher rotational speeds, reducing power requirements, minimizing plugging, and enhancing feeding efficiency while allowing adjustable chop quality.

Implementation Method 1

a rotatable rotor carrying a plurality of projections configured to feed crop material to the baling chamber as the rotor rotates

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectRotational motion:

Implementation Method 2

a shear bar disposed between the pickup and the rotor and configured to cooperate with the projections carried by the rotor to condition crop material

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectShear force: Shear Stress

Data Source

PatentUS12464983B2Agricultural baler with conditioning rotor and shear bar for feeding baling chamber

Publication Date: 2025.11.11 BLUE LEAF I P INC

AI summary

An agricultural baler includes: a chassis; a pickup carried by the chassis and including a plurality of rotatable tines configured to pick up crop material; a baling chamber carried by the chassis and configured to form a bale from crop material; and a feeding assembly carried by the chassis and configured to receive picked up crop material from the pickup and supply crop material to the baling chamber. The feeding assembly includes: a rotatable rotor carrying a plurality of projections configured to feed crop material to the baling chamber as the rotor rotates; and a shear bar disposed between the pickup and the rotor and configured to cooperate with the projections carried by the rotor to condition crop material before the crop material is fed to the baling chamber by the projections.