Round Baler Buffer Storage for Continuous Crop Intake

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing round balers experience significant productivity loss due to the need to interrupt harvested material intake for binding and ejection processes, which typically take about one-third of the total operating time.

Innovation Solution

A round baler design incorporating a feed channel, drivable transfer device, and storage device with a storage space for intermediate storage of harvested material, allowing continuous intake by using a drivable storage space conveyor to temporarily store material during binding and ejection processes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the round baler stops for binding and ejection processes, then the binding and ejection can be completed properly, but the productivity is substantially reduced due to interruption of harvested material intake

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebinding and ejection process completionVSAvoidharvested material processing throughput

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The storage device accumulates harvested material in advance during the pressing operation, so that material is already available when binding and ejection are completed. This preliminary accumulation eliminates the need to stop intake during these processes, maintaining continuous operation and high productivity while ensuring binding and ejection can proceed with sufficient material ready.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The storage device acts as an intermediary buffer between the continuous material intake from the feed channel and the intermittent pressing operation. It decouples the continuous feeding process from the periodic pressing cycles, allowing material to be stored during pressing and discharged during binding/ejection, thereby resolving the contradiction between continuous intake and periodic processing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If the round baler operates continuously without stopping, then productivity is improved, but the binding and ejection processes cannot be completed properly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveharvested material processing throughputVSAvoidbinding and ejection process completion

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The operation is segmented into distinct phases: filling phase (intake and storage), pressing phase (compression in pressing chamber), and discharge phase (binding and ejection). The storage device enables this segmentation by holding material during pressing, allowing the system to cycle through phases continuously without stopping intake, ensuring both high productivity and proper completion of binding/ejection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The storage device enables continuous useful action by maintaining uninterrupted harvested material intake throughout all operational phases. Material flows continuously into the storage device during pressing and is continuously discharged during binding and ejection, eliminating idle time and ensuring the intake mechanism operates without interruption while binding and ejection are properly completed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

3Reliability

If the round baler stops for binding and ejection, then the processes are completed properly, but energy is consumed unnecessarily due to repeated starting and stopping

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebinding and ejection process completionVSAvoidenergy consumption during operation cycles

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

Material is preliminarily accumulated in the storage device during pressing operation, eliminating the need to stop intake for binding and ejection. This continuous operation avoids the energy waste associated with repeated starting and stopping of the intake mechanism, while still ensuring binding and ejection are completed properly with adequate material available.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The storage device enables continuous operation of the intake mechanism throughout pressing, binding, and ejection phases. By maintaining continuous material flow without interruption, the system avoids the energy losses from cyclic stopping and starting, reducing overall energy consumption while ensuring proper completion of all processes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Data Source

PatentUS12593756B2Round baler

Publication Date: 2026.04.07 MASCHINENFABRIK BERNARD KRONE GMBH & CO KG

AI summary

A round baler (1) that includes a feed channel (6) leading to a pressing chamber (55), a drivable transfer device (20) to convey harvested material through the feed channel (6) toward the pressing chamber (55) in a pressing mode, as well as a storage device (30) with a storage space (32). There is a means to continuously pick up harvested material, and a storage device (30) has a storage space wall (31) which outwardly delimits the storage space (32), in communication with the feed channel (6) by means of at least one storage space opening (33), as well as a drivable storage space conveyor (34) for the harvested material within the storage space (32), wherein, in storage mode, the storage device (30) intakes harvested material from the feed channel (6) and, in the pressing mode, discharges harvested material to the feed channel (6) both with a storage space opening(s) (33).