Silage Layer Distribution and Compression for Uniform Ensilage

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Tractor operators face challenges in monitoring the thickness of crop material layers and ensuring complete compression during the ensilage process, which affects the nutritive content of the ensiled crop material.

Innovation Solution

A system and method utilizing a computing device to determine the storage volume for crop material, divide it into vertically spaced planes, and control the operation of a work vehicle or implement to distribute and compress the crop material, ensuring uniform thickness and complete compression of each layer.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If tractor operators manually monitor and distribute crop material layers, then operational simplicity is maintained, but layer thickness uniformity and compression completeness deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelayer thickness uniformityVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses sensors to detect the actual thickness of distributed crop material layers and provides feedback to the controller, which automatically adjusts the distribution mechanism to maintain uniform thickness. This closed-loop feedback control eliminates manual monitoring while ensuring precise layer uniformity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces manual mechanical operations with an automated control system that uses sensors, processors, and actuators to distribute and compress crop material. This substitution of human operation with automated mechanical and electronic systems improves precision while managing complexity through integration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Manufacturing precision

If tractor operators manually ensure complete compression of each layer, then operational simplicity is maintained, but compression completeness and oxygen removal efficiency deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecompression completenessVSAvoidoperational ease

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

Sensors detect whether complete compression of each layer has been achieved and provide feedback to the controller. The system automatically determines when compression is sufficient based on detected parameters, ensuring completeness while eliminating the need for manual verification.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs self-monitoring and self-adjustment of compression operations. The automated control system manages the compression process independently, making decisions about when to compress and when compression is complete based on sensor data, thereby improving completeness while reducing operational burden.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If thin layers of crop material are distributed to maximize oxygen removal, then nutritive content retention is improved, but measurement and monitoring difficulty increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenutritive content retentionVSAvoidlayer thickness monitoring difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs sensors and automated detection systems to measure layer thickness, replacing manual visual inspection or physical measurement. This electronic measurement capability enables accurate monitoring of thin layers that would be difficult to assess manually, ensuring optimal thickness for oxygen removal while maintaining ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

4Reliability

If multiple compression passes are performed to remove oxygen, then nutritive content is improved, but time consumption and productivity deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenutritive content retentionVSAvoidensilage processing speed

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system distributes crop material in pre-calculated thin layers with optimal thickness designed to maximize oxygen removal in a single compression pass. By preparing layers in advance with precise thickness control, the need for multiple compression passes is eliminated, improving both nutritive content retention and processing productivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system optimizes layer thickness as a critical parameter to enable effective oxygen removal through compression. By controlling layer thickness within specific ranges, the system achieves sufficient oxygen removal in fewer passes, balancing nutritive quality with processing efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS11199845B2System and method for distributing and compressing crop material for ensilage

Publication Date: 2021.12.14 BLUE LEAF I P INC

AI summary

In one aspect, a method for distributing crop material for ensilage may include determining, with a computing device, a storage volume for the crop material. The method may also include dividing, with the computing device, the determined storage volume into a plurality of planes. Each plane of the plurality of planes may be spaced apart from each other plane of the plurality of planes along a vertical direction. Furthermore, the method may include controlling, with the computing device, an operation of at least one of a work vehicle or an associated implement in a manner that distributes a portion of the crop material on a given plane of the plurality of planes.