Round Baler Bale Unloading Timing and Placement

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for unloading bales from round balers result in scattered bale placement on the field, leading to inefficient collection due to dependency on various variables and frequent stopping and starting of the baler, which can cause operational challenges and increased risk of damage.

Innovation Solution

A method where the first bale is carried by a bale holder while the second bale is growing, allowing the first bale to be unloaded just before the second bale is finished, ensuring they are placed close together on the field, reducing collection effort and minimizing field displacements.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If bales are unloaded immediately after growing using conventional methods, then the baler operates continuously, but bales are scattered all over the field making collection inefficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebale unloading efficiencyVSAvoidcollection time
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system calculates and positions the bale drop location in advance based on the baler's current position, speed, and the distance required to complete bale growth. This preliminary positioning ensures that when the bale is unloaded, it lands at the optimal location for efficient collection, rather than being scattered randomly across the field.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The control system continuously monitors the baler's position, speed, and bale growth status, using this feedback to dynamically calculate the optimal unloading timing and location. This closed-loop control ensures that bales are consistently positioned for efficient collection while maintaining continuous baler operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Manufacturing precision

If the baler stops frequently to unload bales at optimal positions, then bale placement precision is improved, but operational efficiency decreases and damage risk increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebale placement precisionVSAvoidbaler operational efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary calculations of the optimal unloading position based on current baler state parameters. This allows the baler to maintain continuous operation while knowing in advance where the bale will land, eliminating the need for frequent stops to position bales optimally.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical approach of stopping and positioning the baler physically with a control system that uses mathematical calculations and timing to achieve precise bale placement. This substitution allows continuous mechanical operation while maintaining placement precision through intelligent control rather than mechanical stopping.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Loss of time

If bales are unloaded close together to reduce collection effort, then collection efficiency is improved, but the baler must be stopped more frequently

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecollection effortVSAvoidbaler continuous operation
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The control system calculates the exact timing for bale unloading based on the baler's current speed and position, ensuring that bales are dropped close together without requiring the baler to stop. This preliminary timing calculation allows the baler to maintain continuous operation while achieving the desired bale clustering for efficient collection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts the unloading timing based on real-time baler speed and position data. This dynamic control allows the baler to maintain varying speeds and continue operating continuously while still positioning bales to land close together, rather than requiring fixed stopping intervals.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP3298882B1Method for unloading bales from a round baler onto a field
Publication Date: 2020.07.01 CNH IND BELGIUM NV
  • EP3298882B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3298882B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Method for unloading a first (12) and a second (13) bale from a round baler (1) onto a field (11), the round baler comprising a bale chamber (5) and a bale holder (2), the method successively comprising the steps of: - growing (M7) the second bale in the bale chamber, while the first bale is carried by the bale holder; - unloading (M8) the first bale from the bale holder onto the field a period of time before finishing growing the second bale, the first bale defining a first position (P1) on the field; - finishing (M9) growing the second bale, transporting the second bale to the bale holder, and unloading the second bale onto the field, the second bale defining a second position (P2) on the field; the period of time is related to a distance (d3) between the first position (P1) and the second position (P2), which distance (d3) will be covered by the baler on the field for finishing the second bale, and wherein said period of time is determined such that the distance (d3) is smaller than a sum of the diameters (dl, d2) of the first bale and second bale.