Tine Control for Balers: Simplified Drive Mechanism

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing agricultural piston bale presses have complex drive mechanisms for the selective movement of tine arms along loading and stuffing trajectories, requiring intricate designs.

Innovation Solution

A simplified tine arm drive mechanism with a crank mechanism and rotational drive, allowing the tine arm to move in a cyclic, constant trajectory, with tines that can pivot between extended and retracted positions to follow different trajectories for efficient stuffing and loading of crop material.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a complex drive mechanism is used to selectively move the tine arm along different trajectories, then the stuffing and loading functions can be performed, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetrajectory selection capabilityVSAvoiddrive mechanism complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the tines movable relative to the tine arm through a locking mechanism. The tines can be locked in a fixed position for loading trajectory or unlocked to pivot freely for stuffing trajectory. This dynamic configuration allows a single simplified drive mechanism to achieve multiple trajectories without requiring complex selective positioning systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements self-service by using crop material itself to control the tine position. During stuffing operation, crop material in the feed passage automatically pushes the tines into the retracted position without requiring active control mechanisms. The system uses the work environment (crop material presence) to automatically configure the tine position, eliminating the need for complex trajectory selection mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Device complexity

If a simplified drive mechanism is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the ability to perform selective movement along different trajectories may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedrive mechanism complexityVSAvoidtrajectory selection capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the tines movable relative to the tine arm through a locking mechanism. The tines can be locked in a fixed position for loading trajectory or unlocked to pivot freely for stuffing trajectory. This dynamic configuration allows a single simplified drive mechanism to achieve multiple trajectories without requiring complex selective positioning systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements self-service by using crop material itself to control the tine position. During stuffing operation, crop material in the feed passage automatically pushes the tines into the retracted position without requiring active control mechanisms. The system uses the work environment (crop material presence) to automatically configure the tine position, eliminating the need for complex trajectory selection mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Device complexity

If the tines are fixed on the tine arm, then the structure is simpler, but the ability to follow different trajectories is limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructure complexityVSAvoidtrajectory following capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the tines movable relative to the tine arm through a locking mechanism. The tines can be locked in a fixed position for loading trajectory or unlocked to pivot freely for stuffing trajectory. This dynamic configuration allows a single simplified drive mechanism to achieve multiple trajectories without requiring complex selective positioning systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP3020267B1Tine control for balers
Publication Date: 2019.08.07 FORAGE CO BV
  • EP3020267B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3020267B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3020267B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to an agricultural piston bale press, comprising a pressing piston (5), a main driving mechanism (5a), an intake device (7) to take in crop material, and a stuffing device (9), wherein the stuffing device comprises a feed passage (11) and a stuffing mechanism (10), the stuffing mechanism comprising a tine arm (16) supporting tines (21) which tines can be moved along a stuffing trajectory (B), and a drive mechanism (18, 2a) for driving the tine arm, wherein the drive mechanism (18, 2a) is configured to move the tine arm (16) in a cyclic movement along a constant trajectory (X), and wherein the tines (21) are movably supported on the tine arm so that the tines can be arranged in different positions with respect to the tine arm to follow different trajectories.