Overload Relief Needle Delivery for Square Balers

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Solution Overview

Problem

Large square balers lack protection for needles when they encounter obstructions, leading to potential damage and operational issues.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating an overload relief component in the binding system that includes a delivery device with a fastener that separates from the needle upon encountering a predetermined overload condition, allowing the needle to detach and prevent damage to other components.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If the needle is made robust to handle obstructions, then the needle's strength is improved, but the device complexity increases and other components may still be damaged

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveneedle strengthVSAvoiddelivery device complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The delivery device is segmented into a reusable body portion and a disposable tip portion. The tip portion can be detached and replaced independently when it encounters an obstruction or becomes damaged, while the body portion remains intact and can be reused. This segmentation allows the system to handle obstructions without requiring the entire delivery device to be robust and complex.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The tip portion of the needle is designed as a disposable component that can be easily replaced when it encounters an obstruction or becomes damaged. Instead of making the entire needle robust and expensive, only the critical tip portion is designed to be replaceable, reducing overall device complexity and cost while maintaining the ability to handle obstructions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

2Reliability

If the needle is made detachable to protect other components, then the reliability of the binding system is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebinding system reliabilityVSAvoiddelivery device complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The needle is divided into a body portion and a tip portion that can be detachably connected. This segmentation allows the tip portion to be detached when it encounters an obstruction, protecting the body portion and other binding system components from damage. The detachable connection mechanism is simple, involving basic fastening and release features that do not significantly increase overall device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Manufacturing precision

If the entire needle is replaced when the tip breaks, then the manufacturing precision is maintained, but the loss of time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveneedle manufacturing precisionVSAvoidneedle replacement time
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The needle is segmented into a reusable body portion and a replaceable tip portion. When the tip breaks or becomes damaged, only the tip portion needs to be replaced rather than the entire needle. This segmentation maintains manufacturing precision for the critical tip portion while significantly reducing replacement time, as the body portion remains in place and can be reused.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The tip portion is designed to be discarded when damaged and recovered (replaced) independently from the body portion. This allows the valuable body portion to be recovered and reused multiple times, reducing both the time required for replacement and the overall cost, while maintaining the manufacturing precision of the critical tip portion through controlled production of replacement tips.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #34Discarding and recovering

Data Source

PatentEP3315017B1Binding system, agricultural harvesting machine with such and operating method
Publication Date: 2021.06.02 DEERE & CO
  • EP3315017B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3315017B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3315017B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A binding system (150) for an agricultural harvesting machine (100) is disclosed. The binding system (150) comprising: a binding mechanism securing binding material around a crop package; a delivery device (154) coupled to the binding system (150) and including an overload relief component (170), the delivery device (154) wrapping binding material around a portion of the crop package and providing binding material to the binding mechanism, and the overload relief component (170) releasing the delivery device (154) from the binding system (150) upon encountering a predetermined overload condition. Further an agricultural harvesting machine (100) with such a binding system (150) and an operating method is disclosed.