Round Baler Pivot Roller Asymmetry Correction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Round balers often produce asymmetric crop bales due to uneven crop pickup, leading to undesirable pressure distribution and bale shape, which complicates stacking and storage, and existing solutions are costly.
Innovation Solution
A round baler design featuring a frame with a circumferentially driven endless pressing element guided by rotatable roller units, where at least one roller unit is pivotally connected to an axle unit that can pivot about an angled axis, allowing for adaptive tension and guidance to mitigate asymmetrical loads, and incorporating a position sensor to detect and correct uneven bale formation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the crop is picked up asymmetrically, then the bale formation process continues, but the bale becomes asymmetrical causing greater pressure on one side and lateral movement of the baling element
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs sensors (optical, ultrasonic, or force measurement sensors) to detect the actual bale shape during formation and feeds this information back to the control system. The control system then adjusts the round baler's track or the pickup alignment in real-time to correct asymmetry, ensuring continuous productive operation while maintaining bale symmetry.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the round baler's track or pickup alignment dynamically adjustable during operation. By allowing these parameters to change in response to detected bale asymmetry, the system maintains optimal bale formation without interrupting the continuous baling process, resolving the contradiction between productivity and precision.
2Manufacturing precision
If non-contact distance measurement or force measurement sensors are used to monitor bale shape, then bale symmetry can be corrected, but the system cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs cost-effective sensor solutions such as simple optical sensors or ultrasonic sensors instead of expensive non-contact distance measurement systems. These sensors provide sufficient accuracy for bale symmetry detection at a fraction of the cost of high-precision laser or radar-based systems, making the correction system economically viable.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex mechanical measurement systems with simpler electronic sensing systems. By using electronic sensors and control systems rather than complex mechanical linkages and gauges, the overall system cost is reduced while maintaining or improving measurement accuracy for bale symmetry correction.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the baling element is made very stretchable to adapt to guide roller arrangement, then the baling element can conform to the roller configuration, but the one-sided load is passed on to the guide rollers causing lateral movement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses sensors to detect lateral displacement or asymmetrical loading on the baling element and guide rollers. The control system responds by adjusting the round baler's track or pickup alignment to redistribute the load evenly, preventing excessive lateral movement while maintaining the baling element's ability to adapt its shape.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs counterbalancing mechanisms or active control forces to offset the one-sided loads that develop when the baling element stretches to conform to the guide roller arrangement. By applying compensating forces or adjusting the system geometry, lateral movement of the baling element is prevented while preserving its shape adaptability.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a round baler (1) with a frame (2) and a pressing device (10) by which a pressing chamber (30) for forming a bale of harvested crop (40) can be at least partially defined, and which has an endless pressing element (12) which can be driven circumferentially relative to the frame (2) and which is guided over a plurality of roller units (13, 16) which are rotatable relative to the frame (2).In order to propose the most cost-effective design possible for a round baler, which takes into account a possible uneven bale structure, the invention provides that at least one roller unit (16) is arranged on an axle unit (15) and is rotatable about a roller axis (A), wherein the axle unit (15) is connected to a frame-side bearing section (5) via an axle unit pivot bearing (19), so that it can pivot together with the roller unit (16) about an axle unit pivot axis (B) extending at an angle to the roller axis (A), wherein the roller unit (16) extends on both sides of the axle unit pivot bearing (19) with respect to the roller axis (A).