Strapping system for agricultural implement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10028447-B2
Application number	US-201414776410-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 14, 2014
Priority date	Mar 15, 2013
Publication date	Jul 24, 2018
Grant date	Jul 24, 2018

Abstract

A strapping system for an agricultural implement includes a strap feeding assembly positioned on a first side of a baling chamber, the strap feeding assembly being configured to propel a strap through or around at least a portion of the baling chamber. The system includes a needle positioned on a second side of the baling chamber, opposite the first side. The needle is configured to move through the baling chamber to extend from the second side to the first side of the baling chamber, and the needle includes an opening configured to receive the strap from the strap feeding assembly and to facilitate transfer of an end of the strap from the first side to the second side of the baling chamber to position the strap for capturing material as the material accumulates within the baling chamber.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A strapping system for an agricultural implement comprising:
a strap feeding assembly positioned on a first side of a baling chamber, wherein the strap feeding assembly is configured to propel a strap through or around at least a portion of the baling chamber;
a needle positioned on a second side of the baling chamber, opposite the first side, and configured to move through the baling chamber to extend from the second side to the first side of the baling chamber; and
a rotating gripper assembly positioned on the second side of the baling chamber, wherein the needle is configured to facilitate transfer of an end of the strap from the strap feeding assembly to the rotating gripper assembly, while the rotating gripper assembly is in a first position,
wherein the needle comprises an opening configured to receive the strap from the strap feeding assembly and to facilitate transfer of the end of the strap from the first side to the second side of the baling chamber to position the strap for capturing material as the material accumulates within the baling chamber.

2. The strapping system of claim 1 , further comprising a track assembly positioned within the opening of the needle to facilitate transfer of the end of the strap from the first side to the second side of the baling chamber.

3. The strapping system of claim 2 , wherein the track assembly comprises multiple segments disposed along a length of the needle.

4. The strapping system of claim 1 , wherein the rotating gripper assembly is configured to rotate from the first position to a second position to transfer a portion of the strap to a gripping assembly of the needle after the material accumulates within the baling chamber.

5. The strapping system of claim 4 , wherein the gripping assembly of the needle is configured to receive the portion of the strap and to move the portion of the strap from the second side of the baling chamber to the first side of the baling chamber to surround the material with the strap.

6. The strapping system of claim 1 , further comprising a plunger extending between the first side and the second side of the baling chamber, wherein the plunger is configured to compress the material within the baling chamber.

7. The strapping system of claim 6 , wherein the plunger comprises a plurality of slots on a material-facing surface of the plunger, the plurality of slots extending from a first end of the plunger to a second end of the plunger, the plurality of slots being configured to provide a passageway for the needle to move through the baling chamber.

8. A strapping system for an agricultural implement comprising:
a needle positioned on a second side of a baling chamber and configured to grip a portion of a strap and to move the portion of the strap through the baling chamber;
a forward plunger having a material-facing surface having a slot formed thereon, the slot being configured to receive the needle and to enable the needle to move through the baling chamber; and
a rotating gripper assembly positioned on the second side of the baling chamber, wherein the needle is configured to transfer the portion of the strap to the rotating gripper assembly after the needle moves from a first side of the chamber to the second side of the baling chamber,
wherein the needle is configured to move the portion of the strap from the first side of the baling chamber to the second side of the baling chamber via the slot to position the strap for capturing material as the material accumulates within the baling chamber.

9. The strapping system of claim 8 , wherein the needle comprises a gripping assembly configured to grip the portion of the strap, wherein the gripping assembly is disposed proximate to a second end of the needle.

10. The strapping system of claim 9 , wherein the gripping assembly is configured to be actuated by a cable disposed within a cavity of the needle.

11. The strapping system of claim 9 , wherein the gripping assembly comprises a sensor configured to detect the strap within the gripping assembly, and the gripping assembly is configured to grip the portion of the strap upon detection of the portion of the strap within the gripping assembly.

12. The strapping system of claim 9 , wherein the gripping assembly comprises a duck-bill style gripper configured to grip the portion of the strap.

13. The strapping system of claim 8 , wherein the rotating gripper assembly is configured to transfer the portion of the strap to the needle after the material accumulates within the baling chamber, and the needle is configured to receive the portion of the strap and to move the portion of the strap from the second side of the baling chamber to the first side of the baling chamber to surround the material with the strap.

14. The strapping system of claim 13 , further comprising a sealing assembly positioned on the first side of the baling chamber, wherein the needle is configured to direct the portion of the strap into the sealing assembly after the needle moves the portion of the strap from the second side of the baling chamber to the first side of the baling chamber, and the sealing assembly is configured to seal the portion of the strap to another portion of the strap to seal the strap around the material.

15. A method for strapping a material in an agricultural implement using a strapping system, comprising the steps of:
gripping a portion of a strap with a gripping assembly of a needle positioned on a second side of a baling chamber;
moving the portion of the strap from a first side of the baling chamber to the second side of the baling chamber via movement of the needle in a first direction;
transferring the portion of the strap to a rotating gripper assembly positioned on the second side of the baling chamber after moving the portion of the strap from the first side of the baling chamber to the second side of the baling chamber;
collecting the material in the baling chamber to form a bale; and
moving the portion of the strap from the second side of the baling chamber to the first side of the baling chamber after the bale is formed via movement of the needle in a second direction, opposite the first direction.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising transferring the portion of the strap from the rotating gripper assembly to the gripping assembly of the needle after the bale is formed in the baling chamber and before movement of the needle in the second direction.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the needle is configured to move through a slot disposed on a material-facing surface of a plunger to facilitate movement of the portion of the strap from the first side to the second side of the baling chamber.

Assignees

• Cnh Ind America Llc

Inventors

• Keller Donald P
• Hawes Craig
• Rizzon Dominick Brian

Classifications

• A01F15/042

  Plungers · CPC title

• B65B13/32

  by welding, soldering, or heat-sealing; by applying adhesive · CPC title

• A01F15/14 Primary

  Tying devices specially adapted for baling presses · CPC title

• B65B13/02

  Applying and securing binding material around articles or groups of articles, e.g. using strings, wires, strips, bands or tapes · CPC title

• B65B13/18

  Details of, or auxiliary devices used in, bundling machines {or bundling tools} · CPC title