Powered Rotor Agitation for Baler Pickup Plugging

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Solution Overview

Problem

Baler pickup systems face challenges with uneven crop flow, leading to plugging, reduced baling efficiency, and premature wear due to the inability to handle stiff stalk crops like corn stover, which results in decreased bale quality and increased operational costs and safety risks.

Innovation Solution

A powered rotor with radially extending blade assemblies is integrated above the baler pickup, rotating to assist tines in moving crop materials evenly into the baling chamber, minimizing plugging and ensuring a consistent flow.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the baler operates at higher speeds to increase productivity, then the baling efficiency improves, but the pickup becomes prone to plugging with stiff stalk crops

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebaling speedVSAvoidpickup plugging

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The rotor performs preliminary action by agitating and loosening the crop material before it enters the pickup, preventing plugging before it occurs. The rotating blades break up compacted stalks and create a more uniform feed flow into the baling chamber, allowing higher operating speeds without plugging.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The rotating rotor creates mechanical agitation and vibration effects on the crop material, breaking up stiff stalks and preventing them from forming plugs in the pickup. The dynamic motion of the blades disrupts the compacted crop structure and promotes steady flow into the baling chamber.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #18Mechanical vibration

2Device complexity

If the pickup tines alone are used to move crop material, then the device complexity remains low, but the crop flow becomes uneven causing plugging

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepickup structureVSAvoidcrop flow consistency

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention merges the rotor assembly with the existing pickup structure, combining the rotating blades and tines into an integrated crop handling system. This combination allows the rotor to pre-agitate material while the tines continue to feed it into the baling chamber, creating consistent flow without requiring a completely new pickup design.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Ease of repair

If operators use traditional methods to clear plugs (hydraulic lift, hand clearing), then the pickup can be cleared, but equipment damage and safety risks increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepickup clearingVSAvoidequipment damage and safety risks

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of repairVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The rotor converts the harmful plugging tendency into a benefit by continuously agitating and loosening the crop material. What would normally be a problematic condition (compacted stiff stalks) is transformed into a controlled feed flow, preventing plugs before they form and eliminating the need for harmful clearing methods.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

4Productivity

If the crop does not enter the pickup evenly, then the baling process continues, but the bale quality decreases and component wear increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebaling continuityVSAvoidbale uniformity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The rotor applies localized agitation and loosening action at the point where crop material enters the pickup. By treating the crop flow locally with rotating blades, the system creates uniform material distribution specifically at the critical entry point, ensuring even feeding into the baling chamber while maintaining continuous operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

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 plugging, enhances baling efficiency by maintaining a steady crop flow, reduces wear on baler components, and improves bale quality by ensuring even crop entry into the baler.

Implementation Method 1

A powered rotor is rotationally attached to the baler and has a plurality of blade assemblies disposed thereon. The rotor is powered to rotate in at least one direction whereby adjacent blades which are below the axis of rotation of the rotor can be selectively moved towards the baling chamber to assist the pickup tines to move the crop materials into the baling chamber.

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMechanical Force: Mechanical Force

Data Source

PatentUS7716910B2Powered rotor for assisting crop pickup for a baler

Publication Date: 2010.05.18 WOODFORD ERIC T

AI summary

A method and apparatus for baling crop materials using a baler with a pickup thereon for picking up crop materials from the ground and moving such crop materials towards a baling chamber. The pickup has a pickup frame operatively attached to the baler, the frame having a plurality of laterally spaced apart tines of a type which is typical for balers. A powered rotor is rotationally attached to the baler a predetermined distance above and forwardly of the pickup frame, the rotor being powered to rotate in at least one direction. A plurality of blade assemblies are disposed on the rotor having blades extending radially outwardly from the axis of the rotor wherein at least at times one or more of the blade assemblies are disposed between one or more of the tines.