Flexible Web Bale Chamber for Round Baler Blockage Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing round balers with fixed chambers experience blockages due to gaps between the belt and side walls, leading to inefficiencies and increased power requirements for operation.
Innovation Solution
A flexible web with a low friction surface, supported by a path along the edge of the side walls, eliminates the need for bars and rolls, reducing friction and power consumption by using rolling elements and a tension mechanism, while maintaining the web's stability with transverse fibers and lateral stiffeners.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a belt is used to cover the bale chamber circumference, then the structure is simpler and cost is reduced, but gaps appear between the belt and side walls causing blockages
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a flexible web instead of rigid bars and rolls to cover the bale chamber. This flexible web can conform to the chamber shape and maintain contact with the side walls throughout the baling cycle, eliminating gaps that cause blockages while keeping the structure simple and cost-effective.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible web is dynamically adjusted during operation through tensioning mechanisms that apply force to keep the web taut and in contact with the side walls. This dynamic tensioning ensures the web adapts to varying bale sizes and maintains gap-free coverage throughout the baling process.
2Stability of the object's composition
If bars and rolls are used to support the belt, then the belt maintains position, but friction increases and power consumption rises
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the traditional bars and rolls from the system entirely, replacing them with a flexible web supported by the chamber walls themselves. This extraction of unnecessary components eliminates the friction they generate while the web maintains its position through tension and contact with the side walls.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible web serves its own support function by maintaining contact with the side walls through its tension and flexibility, eliminating the need for separate bars and rolls. The system uses the chamber structure itself to support the web, reducing external support components and associated friction.
3Reliability
If the web is made flexible to eliminate gaps, then blockages are prevented, but the web may collapse into the bale chamber
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible web is designed with appropriate thickness and material properties to balance flexibility and structural integrity. It remains flexible enough to conform to the chamber and prevent gaps, while having sufficient stiffness to resist collapsing into the bale chamber under operational loads.
Solution Approach 2:
The web is pre-tensioned before operation to establish proper structural stability. This preliminary tensioning ensures the web maintains its shape and position throughout the baling cycle, preventing collapse while allowing the necessary flexibility to eliminate gaps.
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 solution prevents blockages and reduces the power required to operate the baler by minimizing friction and maintaining web stability, allowing for efficient baling without material contact with bars and rolls, and enabling both fixed and hybrid chamber configurations.
Implementation Method 1
the path and/or the web portion contacting the path is provided with a low friction surface. Low friction material may be of the Teflon type or similar.
Implementation Method 2
Further reduction of the required driving force is achieved by using rolling elements, like wheels, balls, bushings etc.
Implementation Method 3
a tension mechanism is acting onto the web. Preferably said tension mechanism acts onto the run of the web not being in contact with the material to be baled.
Implementation Method 4
The web is further hindered from collapsing into the bale chamber, if it is stiffened by fibers extending transverse to the moving direction of the web
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
A bale chamber (20) is partly covered by a web (28) spanning at least the distance between its side walls (50). The web (28) is guided slideably on a path (40) following the shape of the bale chamber (20).