Pivoting Boundary Linkage for Round Baler Bale Wrapper Safety
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Solution Overview
Problem
Operators and third parties are at risk of injuries and accidents due to unintentional entry into the operational area of round balers with bale wrappers, necessitating enhanced safety measures to meet new safety standards.
Innovation Solution
A round baler with a bale wrapper featuring a pivoting boundary linkage that can be swiveled down to enclose and delimit the action area during bale wrapping, while allowing easy removal for transport or ejection, thereby preventing access to the hazardous zone.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a fixed protective barrier is installed around the bale wrapping area, then safety protection is improved, but the width of the round baler increases and transportability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The protective barrier is designed as a movable, pivoting structure rather than a fixed barrier. The linkage can pivot between an extended protective position during bale wrapping and a retracted transport position, allowing the width to dynamically adjust between safety operation mode and compact transport mode.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective barrier is divided into multiple linkage parts (first linkage parts and second linkage parts) that can move independently. This segmentation allows the barrier to pivot and adjust its position, providing protection when needed while reducing width during transport.
2Reliability
If a protective barrier is installed to prevent access to the action area, then safety is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The boundary linkage serves multiple functions: it provides safety protection during bale wrapping, maintains structural stability, and can be integrated with existing round baler components. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate safety devices, thereby limiting complexity increase.
3Reliability
If the boundary linkage is extended to provide adequate protection, then safety coverage is improved, but the width in transport position increases
Solution Approach 1:
The boundary linkage is designed to dynamically change its configuration between operational and transport states. During bale wrapping, it extends to provide comprehensive safety coverage. During transport, it pivots to a retracted position that minimizes width while maintaining structural integrity.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
A round baler (10) with a bale wrapper (12) is described, wherein the bale wrapper (12) comprises a bale wrapping device (24) rotating about a vertical axis of rotation (28) with rotating arms (26) extending parallel to the axis of rotation (28), on which rollers (30) with wrapping material can be guided within an action area (69) of the bale wrapping device (24) extending transversely and longitudinally to the axis of rotation (28), wherein a boundary linkage (34) is arranged on the round baler (10) or on the bale wrapper (12), which extends behind the round baler (10) and is pivotable from an upper position to a lower position and vice versa, and with which, in the lower position, a region of the action area (69) of the bale wrapping device (24) located behind the round baler (10) is horizontally bounded.