Serpentine Pivot Roll for Agricultural Baler Bale Chamber

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing agricultural balers face challenges in efficiently handling larger bales without compromising bale compression and increasing operational loads.

Innovation Solution

The agricultural baler assembly incorporates a serpentine pivot roll and a belt wrapped around the pivot roller, allowing the bale chamber to expand and accommodate larger bales while maintaining adequate compression through the use of a pivot roller concentric to the tailgate pivot.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Volume of moving object

If the bale chamber is designed to accommodate larger bales, then the bale size capacity increases, but the frame strength and operating power requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebale size capacityVSAvoidframe strength

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a dynamic serpentine mechanism with movable rollers that can adjust their position along the belt path. As the bale grows in size, the movable rollers automatically move to accommodate the increased volume while maintaining compression force. This dynamic adjustment allows the chamber to adapt to varying bale sizes without requiring a larger, stronger frame structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The belt system is divided into multiple segments with both stationary and movable rollers. The movable rollers are independently positioned along the serpentine path, allowing localized adjustment to bale size. This segmentation enables the compression system to handle larger bales by distributing the mechanical load across multiple adjustable points rather than requiring overall frame strengthening.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Volume of moving object

If the serpentine belt length is increased to accommodate larger bales, then the bale volume capacity increases, but the belt tension and compression force may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebale volume capacityVSAvoidbelt tension

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSForce

Solution Approach 1:

The serpentine mechanism incorporates movable rollers that dynamically adjust their position along the belt path as the bale grows. This dynamic positioning maintains optimal belt tension and compression force throughout the baling process, preventing loss of compression force that would occur with a static, overly-long belt design.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The movable rollers act as intermediaries between the belt and the bale. These rollers can be positioned at optimal points along the serpentine path to maintain effective compression force on the bale while allowing the belt to accommodate larger bale volumes. The intermediaries transfer and concentrate the compression force where needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS20250072333A1Serpentine pivot roll

Publication Date: 2025.03.06 CNH INDUSTRIAL AMERICA LLC

AI summary

An agricultural baler assembly having: a frame; a tailgate pivotally connected to the frame at a tailgate pivot and movable about the tailgate pivot between a closed tailgate position and an open tailgate position, wherein the tailgate and the frame define a bale chamber when the tailgate is in the closed tailgate position; a pivot roller fixed concentric to the tailgate pivot; and a belt wrapped around the pivot roller with the pivot roller between a portion of the belt wrapped around the pivot roller and the bale chamber. Methods for operating an agricultural baler are also provided.