Agricultural baler including crop package banding system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10820525-B2
Application number	US-201816031498-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 10, 2018
Priority date	Jul 10, 2018
Publication date	Nov 3, 2020
Grant date	Nov 3, 2020

Abstract

A banding system for an agricultural baler is configured to move a banding element around a crop package to band the crop package. The banding system includes a support member having a support surface configured to support the crop package. The support member includes a channel defined by an opening in the support surface. The channel is further defined by a first surface opposite a second surface and a third surface extending between the first and second surfaces. The first surface is at least partially defined by an angled surface angled relative to the second surface. The angled surface includes an apex positioned away from the opening. The banding system also includes a bander unit configured to move the banding element within the channel to band the crop package.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An agricultural baler comprising:
a frame;
a plurality of wheels rotatably coupled to the frame, the plurality of wheels configured to support the agricultural baler on a surface and allow for movement of the agricultural baler relative to the surface;
a gate moveably coupled to the frame between an open position and a closed position;
a formation chamber positioned between the frame and the gate, the formation chamber configured to form a crop package; and
a banding system including
a support member including a support surface configured to support the crop package, the support member including a channel defined by an opening in the support surface, the channel further defined by a first surface opposite a second surface and a third surface extending between the first and second surfaces, the first surface including a protrusion extending toward the second surface such that a first width of the channel defined by the opening is equal to or greater than a second width of the channel defined between the protrusion and the second surface, and
a bander unit configured to move a banding element within the channel to band the crop package.

2. The agricultural baler of claim 1 , wherein a tip of the protrusion is located closer to the opening than to the third surface.

3. The agricultural baler of claim 2 , wherein the protrusion is at least partially defined by a protrusion surface angled relative to the second surface, and wherein the protrusion surface is positioned between the tip of the protrusion and the third surface.

4. The agricultural baler of claim 3 , wherein the protrusion is configured to block a portion of material from the crop package moving past the tip of the protrusion toward the third surface, and wherein the protrusion is configured to allow the banding element to slide along the protrusion surface past the tip of the protrusion toward the opening.

5. The agricultural baler of claim 1 , wherein the protrusion is a fixed protrusion formed as a portion of the first surface, and wherein the protrusion is at least partially defined by a linear surface angled relative to the second surface.

6. The agricultural baler of claim 1 , wherein the channel defines a longitudinal axis, and wherein the banding element is configured to extend within the channel along the longitudinal axis, and wherein the banding element defines a width greater than a height, and wherein the width and the height are oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, and wherein the second width of the channel is greater than the height of the banding element and less than the width of the banding element.

7. The agricultural baler of claim 1 , wherein the support member includes a plurality of spaced channels with each channel of the plurality of channels defined by an opening in the support surface, and wherein each channel of the plurality of channels is further defined by a first surface opposite a second surface and a third surface extending between the first and second surfaces, and wherein the first surface of each channel of the plurality of channels includes a protrusion extending toward the second surface of the corresponding channel, and wherein the banding system includes a plurality of bander units each associated with one channel of the plurality of channels.

8. The agricultural baler of claim 1 , wherein the formation chamber is configured to form the crop package into a first configuration, and wherein the banding system is configured to receive the crop package in the first configuration and band the crop package into a second configuration.

9. The agricultural baler of claim 8 , wherein the first configuration is a cylindrical-shaped crop package, and wherein the second configuration is a cuboid-shaped crop package.

10. A banding system for an agricultural baler, the banding system configured to move a banding element around a crop package to band the crop package, the banding system comprising:
a support member including a support surface configured to support the crop package, the support member including a channel defined by an opening in the support surface, the channel further defined by a first surface opposite a second surface and a third surface extending between the first and second surfaces, the first surface including a first oblique surface relative to the support surface, a second oblique surface relative to the support surface, and an apex between the first and second oblique surfaces, wherein a distance measured parallel to the support surface between the first oblique surface and the second surfaces varies decreases in a direction toward the apex, wherein a distance measured parallel to the support surface between the second oblique surface and the second surface increases in the direction from the apex to the opening; and
a bander unit configured to move the banding element within the channel to band the crop package.

11. The banding system of claim 10 , wherein the first surface is positioned closest to the second surface at the apex, and wherein the apex is located closer to the opening than to the third surface.

12. The banding system of claim 11 , wherein the angled surface is a first and second oblique surfaces are linear surfaces, wherein the second oblique surface and the second surface define the opening of the channel, and wherein the second surface is oriented perpendicular to the support surface.

13. The banding system of claim 11 , wherein the second oblique surface is configured to block a portion of material from the crop package moving past the apex toward the third surface, and wherein the banding element is configured to slide along the first oblique surface past the apex toward the opening.

14. The banding system of claim 11 , wherein the channel defines a longitudinal axis, and wherein the banding element is configured to extend within the channel along the longitudinal axis, and wherein the banding element defines a width greater than a height, and wherein the width and the height are oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, and wherein a width of the channel defined between the apex and the second surface is greater than the height of the banding element and less than the width of the banding element.

15. The banding system of claim 10 , wherein the support member includes a plurality of spaced channels with each channel of the plurality of channels defined by an opening in the support surface, and wherein each channel of the plurality of channels is further defined by a first surface opposite a second surface and a third surface extending between the first and second surfaces, and wherein a distance between the first and second surfaces of each channel of the plurality of channels varies between the opening and the third surface of each channel of the plurality of channels, and wherein the banding system further comprises a plurality of bander units each associated with one channel of the plurality of channels.

16. The banding system of claim 10 , wherein the support member is configured to support a cuboid-shaped crop package, and wherein the bander unit is configured to band the cuboid-shaped crop package.

17. A banding system for an agricultural baler, the banding system configured to move a banding element around a crop package to band the crop package, the banding system comprising:
a support member including a support surface configured to support the crop package, the support member including a channel defined by an opening in the support surface, the channel further defined by a first surface opposite a s

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Kraus Timothy J

Classifications

• B65B27/125

  and wrapping or bagging · CPC title

• A01F15/005

  for conditioning bales, e.g. rebaling · CPC title

• B65B13/06

  Stationary ducts or channels · CPC title

• A01F15/0715 Primary

  Wrapping the bale in the press chamber before opening said chamber · CPC title

• A01D59/02 Primary

  Packers · CPC title