Round Baler Feeding Device with Movable Carriage for Frictionless Roll Loading

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing methods for loading a new winding roll into a round baler's feed device are difficult and prone to damaging the winding material due to friction and impact, especially when using film-like materials.

Innovation Solution

A feed device with a running carriage mounted on a rail parallel to the support rollers allows the winding roll to be moved into the roll holder without frictional contact, and a pivoting device enables the support rollers to be positioned away from the braking roller during loading, reducing the risk of damage and making the process easier.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the winding roll is manually pushed into the roll holder from the loading device, then the loading process can be completed, but the winding material is damaged due to friction and impact

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveloading processVSAvoiddamage to winding material
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

A running carriage is introduced as an intermediary device between the loading arm and the roll holder. The winding roll is mounted on the carriage and moved along a running rail, allowing frictionless transfer without direct contact between the winding material and the roll holder or support rollers, thus preventing damage while maintaining ease of operation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The loading process is segmented into distinct phases: positioning the winding roll on the loading arm, transferring it to the running carriage, moving the carriage along the rail, and finally receiving the roll in the roll holder. This segmentation allows each phase to be optimized independently, reducing overall damage risk

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Device complexity

If the support rollers are positioned close to the braking roller during loading, then the roll holder structure is compact, but the winding material is at risk of hitting corners and edges

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveroll holder structureVSAvoiddamage to winding material
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The support rollers are made dynamically positionable relative to the braking roller. During loading operations, the support rollers can be repositioned to a loading position that provides a safety margin from the braking roller, preventing contact with corners and edges. During normal operation, they return to their working position for compact structure

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

Before the winding roll is transferred to the roll holder, the support rollers are preliminarily positioned in a safe configuration away from the braking roller. This preliminary positioning prevents potential damage before it can occur, allowing the roll to be safely received without risk of hitting sharp edges

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3459342B1Agricultural round baler and method for feeding a charge into a round baler
Publication Date: 2020.06.17 USINES CLAAS FRANCE SAS
  • EP3459342B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3459342B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3459342B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present application relates to an agricultural round baler (1) for producing round bales pressed from harvested crops, comprising a housing (2) that defines an interior space (3) of the round baler (1), a pressing chamber (4) arranged within the interior space (3) by means of which supplied harvested crops can be pressed into a round bale, a feeding device (5) by means of which wrapping material (29) that can be removed from a wrapping roller (6) can be fed to the pressing chamber (4) for wrapping a pressed round bale, wherein the feeding device (5) has a roller holder (7) comprising at least two elongated support rollers (9, 10), wherein the feeding device (5) comprises a loading arm (11) by means of which a wrapping roller (6) to be loaded can be moved into a loading position.In order to provide a round baler in which the loading of the feeding device with a new wrapping roll is improved compared to the prior art, it is proposed according to the invention that the feeding device (5) has a carriage (12) which is movable along a guide rail (13) of the feeding device (5) extending parallel to the support rollers (9, 10), wherein the carriage (12) is suitable for taking over a wrapping roll (6) from its loading position, so that it can then be guided along the guide rail (13) by means of the carriage (12).