Multi-mode control system for rectangular baler and related method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10004178-B2
Application number	US-201214380413-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 23, 2012
Priority date	Feb 23, 2012
Publication date	Jun 26, 2018
Grant date	Jun 26, 2018

Abstract

A rectangular baler having a bale-forming chamber, a piston that is reciprocatable in the bale-forming chamber for compressing biomass to form bales. The dimensions of part of the interior of the bale-forming chamber are adjustable under the influence of at least one actuator the energization of which is controllable. A controller for controlling the energization of the at least one actuator is adapted for generating a least a first control signal in accordance with a target pressure mode of the baler, a second control signal in accordance with a target force mode of the baler, and a third control signal in accordance with a target weight mode of the baler.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A rectangular baler comprising:
a biomass feeder duct connected to a bale-forming chamber;
a piston that is reciprocatable in the bale-forming chamber to compress biomass fed into the bale-forming chamber via the biomass feeder duct to form bales and a bale discharge, the dimensions of part of the interior of the bale-forming chamber being adjustable under the influence of at least one actuator having controllable energization; and
a controller for controlling the energization of the at least one actuator, the controller being adapted for generating a least a first control signal in accordance with a target pressure mode of the baler;
a second control signal in accordance with a target force mode of the baler, and
a third control signal in accordance with a target weight mode of the baler;
wherein the target pressure mode uses a measured pressure value of a pressure sensor to generate the first control signal, the target force mode uses a measured force value of a force sensor to generate the second control signal, the target weight mode uses a measured weight value of a weight sensor to generate the third control signal;
wherein the controller is adapted for determining a final control signal from at least the first control signal and a weight factor associated therewith, the second control signal and a weight factor associated therewith and the third control signal and a weight factor associated therewith, the final control signal being for use to control the energization of the at least one actuator of the rectangular baler.

2. A rectangular baler according to claim 1 , wherein the sampling frequency of the pressure sensor is higher than the sampling frequency of the force sensor, and wherein the sampling frequency of the force sensor is higher than the sampling frequency of the weight sensor.

3. A rectangular baler according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is adapted for determining the final control signal from at least the first, the second and the third control signal and their associated weight factors, such that the sum of the associated weight factors is 100%.

4. A rectangular baler according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is such that the weight factors associated with the at least first, second and third control signals are fixed during operation of the baler.

5. A rectangular baler according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is such that at least one of the weight factors associated with the at least first, second and third control signals varies over time during operation of the baler.

6. A rectangular baler according to claim 1 , wherein a loop frequency of the target pressure mode, a loop frequency of the target force mode and/or and a loop frequency of a target weight mode are different from one another.

7. A multi-mode control system for controlling the density of bales formed by a rectangular baler, the multi-mode control system comprising:
a controller for generating a final control signal for controlling the energization of at least one actuator for adjusting the dimensions of part of the interior of a bale-forming chamber of a baler, wherein the controller is adapted for determining a final control signal from at least a first control signal generated in accordance with a target pressure mode of the baler and a weight factor associated therewith;
a second control signal generated in accordance with a target force mode of the baler and a weight factor associated therewith; and
a third control signal generated in accordance with a target weight mode of the baler and a weight factor associated therewith;
wherein the target pressure mode uses a measured pressure value of a pressure sensor to generate the first control signal, the target force mode using a measured force value of a force sensor to generate the second control signal, and the target weight mode using a measured weight value of a weight sensor to generate the third control signal.

8. A multi-mode control system according to claim 7 , wherein the sampling frequency of the pressure sensor is higher than the sampling frequency of the force sensor, and wherein the sampling frequency of the force sensor is higher than the sampling frequency of the weight sensor.

9. A multi-mode control system according to claim 7 , wherein at least one of the target pressure mode, the target force mode and the target weight mode is a single loop mode.

10. A multi-mode control system according to claim 7 , wherein at least one of the target pressure mode, the target force mode and the target weight mode comprises a set of nested control loops, wherein the control loop frequency of the nested control loops decreases from the innermost loop towards the outermost loop.

11. A multi-mode control system according to claim 7 , wherein the first control signal is generated by comparing a target pressure value to the measured pressure value, wherein the second control signal is generated by comparing a target force value to the measured force value, and wherein the third control signal is generated by comparing a target weight value to the measured weight value.

12. A multi-mode control system according to claim 7 , wherein the control loop frequency of at least one of the target pressure mode, the target force mode and the target weight mode is different from that of the other control modes.

13. A multi-mode control system according to claim 11 , wherein the target pressure mode is a single loop mode;
the target force mode comprises a target pressure loop nested in a target force loop, the control loop frequency of the target pressure loop being higher than the control loop frequency of the target force loop;
the target weight mode comprises a target pressure loop nested in a target force loop nested in a target weight loop, the control loop frequency of the three nested control loops of the target weight mode increasing from the innermost loop towards the outermost loop;
wherein the target pressure loop of the target force mode and the target weight mode use the measured pressure value of the pressure sensor, and wherein the target force loop of the target weight mode uses the measured force value of the force sensor.

14. A multi-mode control system according to claim 7 , wherein the final control signal is generated using the equations:

{

P
⁢

⁢
W
⁢

⁢

M
final

=

X
·
P

⁢

⁢
W
⁢

⁢

Assignees

• Dumarey Robrecht M K
• Verhaeghe Didier O M
• Cnh Ind America Llc

Inventors

• Dumarey Robrecht M K
• Verhaeghe Didier O M

Classifications

• A01F15/0825 Primary

  Regulating or controlling density or shape of the bale · CPC title

• A01F2015/0891

  Weighing the finished bale before falling to ground · CPC title

• A01F15/046

  with press-boxes · CPC title