Small Rectangular Bale Handling for Wrapped Cubic Stacks

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing technologies lack an efficient mechanism to handle and form cubic stacks of small rectangular bales of forage crop, which are lightweight and require additional mechanization for handling and storage.

Innovation Solution

A bale handling apparatus that forms cubic stacks of small rectangular bales by incorporating an elevator with a lateral shuttle mechanism, a stacking mechanism, and a wrapping mechanism to bind the bales together with twine, netting, or plastic, allowing for easy discharge and transport.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If small rectangular bales are handled manually, then handling simplicity is maintained, but labor intensity increases and efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehandling efficiencyVSAvoidmechanization complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The bale handling system is divided into distinct functional modules: an accumulator for receiving bales, a stacking mechanism with multiple tiers for organizing bales, and a wrapping mechanism for securing them. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function efficiently while maintaining overall system manageability despite the increased mechanization complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Stability of the object's composition

If bales are stacked in loose piles, then storage flexibility is maintained, but transport stability deteriorates and spillage increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestack stabilityVSAvoidstacking mechanism complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The stacking mechanism employs movable tiers that can dynamically adjust their positions to accommodate different bale sizes and stacking patterns. The tiers are designed to be reconfigurable, allowing the system to adapt to various storage and transport requirements while maintaining stable bale arrangements through controlled movement and positioning.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

A wrapping mechanism using flexible wrapping material (such as plastic film or netting) is applied to secure the stacked bales together. This flexible wrapping provides stability to the bale stack during transport, preventing spillage and maintaining composition integrity, while the material's flexibility allows it to conform to the bale stack's shape and accommodate minor variations in bale dimensions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

3Reliability

If bales are transported without wrapping, then transport simplicity is maintained, but bale integrity deteriorates and loss increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebale integrity during transportVSAvoidwrapping mechanism complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The wrapping mechanism applies flexible wrapping material (such as plastic film or netting) around the stacked bales to secure them during transport. This flexible shell provides protection and maintains bale integrity by preventing individual bales from shifting or falling out, while the material's conformability allows it to adapt to the bale stack's shape without requiring complex rigid structures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

4Manufacturing precision

If cubic stacks are formed manually, then formation simplicity is maintained, but time consumption increases and precision decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecubic stack formation precisionVSAvoidstack formation time

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The accumulator receives and temporarily stores bales before they are stacked, performing preliminary organization and positioning. This preliminary action prepares the bales in advance for the stacking operation, ensuring they are ready for precise placement into cubic formations without requiring manual intervention during the actual stacking process, thereby reducing time consumption and improving precision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The stacking mechanism employs movable tiers that can dynamically adjust their positions to facilitate precise cubic stack formation. The dynamic movement of these tiers allows for accurate placement of bales in a systematic sequence, creating precise cubic stacks efficiently without manual intervention, thereby reducing time consumption while maintaining high formation precision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS12426546B2Bale handler for small rectangular bales

Publication Date: 2025.09.30 BOWDEN JR DONALD F

AI summary

A bale handling apparatus is operable to receive bales from a square baler and create cubic stacks of bales for discharge from the bale handling apparatus. The bale handing apparatus includes an elevator provided with a lateral shuttle mechanism that creates rows of three laterally aligned bales, and a stacking mechanism that receives accumulated rows of bales from the elevator to create a vertical module of bales. The stacking mechanism includes a pusher plate that pushes the bale modules toward a wrapping apparatus that wraps an accumulated cubic stack of bales with wrapping material to establish integrity to the cubic stack. The cubic stacks are retained on a discharge floor extending rearwardly from the wrapping mechanism until a predetermined number of cubic stacks can be discharged at a desired location for subsequent pick-up and storage.