Height-Adjustable Baling Chamber for Round Balers

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional round balers with integrated wrapping devices have a large overall length, making them difficult to maneuver, increasing the risk of accidents, and requiring significant space for parking, due to the need for a significant distance to open the bale chamber flap for bale transfer and wrapping.

Innovation Solution

The round baler features a height-adjustable baling chamber that can be raised or lowered to create a sufficient gradient for bale transfer to the wrapping device, allowing the bale to roll by gravity and reducing the overall length, with an actuator system and electronic control for automatic adjustment based on operating states.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the wrapping device is arranged at a significant distance behind the baling chamber to allow flap opening and bale transfer, then reliable bale transfer is achieved, but the overall length of the baler increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebale transfer reliabilityVSAvoidbaler overall length
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLength of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The baling chamber is made height-adjustable relative to the ground, allowing it to be raised or lowered dynamically. When raised, the baling chamber creates a sufficient gradient for bale transfer to the wrapping device, enabling reliable bale ejection without requiring a long distance arrangement. This dynamic height adjustment resolves the contradiction by adapting the chamber position to the operational requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The height parameter of the baling chamber is changed to create the necessary gradient for bale transfer. By adjusting the height of the baling chamber relative to the ground and the wrapping device, the system achieves adequate slope for gravity-driven bale movement while maintaining a compact overall length.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Productivity

If the baling chamber is raised to create gradient for bale transfer, then bale ejection is improved, but the height for crop pickup becomes suboptimal

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebale ejection efficiencyVSAvoidcrop pickup ease
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The baling chamber height is dynamically adjusted based on the operational phase. During crop pickup, the chamber is lowered to optimize crop intake. During bale transfer and ejection, the chamber is raised to create the necessary gradient for efficient bale movement to the wrapping device. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction between optimal crop pickup and efficient bale ejection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Length of moving object

If the wrapping device is positioned close behind the baling chamber to reduce length, then maneuverability is improved, but the flap cannot open for bale transfer

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebaler overall lengthVSAvoidflap operation capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Length of moving objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of resolving the spatial conflict in the horizontal dimension (distance between baling chamber and wrapping device), the solution moves to the vertical dimension by height-adjusting the baling chamber. This creates sufficient clearance in the vertical direction for the flap to open and close without colliding with the wrapping device, while maintaining a compact horizontal arrangement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

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 design enables safe and efficient transfer of bales to the wrapping device without active transfer aids, reduces the baler's overall length, and simplifies maneuverability and storage, while maintaining crop flow and facilitating maintenance and transport configurations.

Implementation Method 1

Raising the bale chamber can thus be used advantageously to ensure that, despite the wrapping device being arranged relatively close behind the baling chamber, there is at least temporarily sufficient space between the baling chamber and the wrapping device to allow a flap assigned to the baling chamber to be opened and/or closed without colliding with the wrapping device or to allow a bale picked up by it. Raising the bale chamber advantageously supports the transfer of the bales from the bale chamber to the winding device, since a greater gradient is created between the baling chamber and the winding device, so that a pressed bale can roll down particularly safely from the pressing chamber in the direction of the winding device due to the force of gravity.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGravity: Gravitation

Data Source

PatentEP2878190B1Agricultural round baler
Publication Date: 2017.07.26 USINES CLAAS FRANCE SAS
  • EP2878190B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2878190B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2878190B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An agricultural round baler (1) with a press chamber (2) to which a receiving and conveying device (3) for feeding crop material is assigned, with a wrapping device (5) arranged outside the press chamber (2) for wrapping pressed round bales (6) with wrapping material and with a chassis (4) for supporting the round baler (1) against a ground (22), is characterized by means (9, 10) for changing a height (h) of the press chamber (2) relative to the ground (22).