Agricultural baler including crop package banding system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10820526-B2
Application number	US-201816031506-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 at least partially defines an angled surface tapering toward the second surface such that an apex of the angled surface partially forms the opening. The banding system also includes a bander unit configured to move a 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 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, the protrusion including an apex that partially forms the opening, 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 the protrusion is at least partially defined by a protrusion surface angled relative to the second surface.

3. The agricultural baler of claim 2 , wherein the protrusion is configured to block a portion of material from the crop package moving past the apex 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 apex of the protrusion to exit the channel.

4. 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.

5. 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 a width of the channel defined by the opening is greater than the height of the banding element and less than the width of the banding element.

6. 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 at least partially defines a protrusion extending toward the second surface of the corresponding channel such that an apex of each protrusion partially forms the opening 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.

7. 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.

8. The agricultural baler of claim 7 , wherein the first configuration is a cylindrical-shaped crop package, and wherein the second configuration is a cuboid-shaped crop package.

9. 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 at least partially defining an angled surface tapering toward a top of the second surface such that an apex of the angled surface partially forms the opening, the angled surface oriented relative to the support surface at a first angle, the second surface oriented relative to the support surface at a second angle different than the first angle; and
a bander unit configured to move the banding element within the channel to band the crop package.

10. The banding system of claim 9 , wherein the angled surface is a linear angled surface.

11. The banding system of claim 9 , 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 by the opening is greater than the height of the banding element and less than the width of the banding element.

12. The banding system of claim 9 , wherein at least a portion of the banding element is configured to slide along the angled surface before exiting the channel.

13. The banding system of claim 9 , 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 at least partially defines an angled surface tapering toward the second surface of the corresponding channel such that a portion of the angled surface partially forms the opening 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.

14. The banding system of claim 9 , 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.

15. The banding system of claim 9 , wherein the banding system is configured to receive a crop package in a first configuration from the agricultural baler and band the crop package into a second configuration.

16. 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 at least partially defining an angled surface tapering toward a top of the second surface such that an apex of the angled surface partially forms the opening; and
a bander unit configured to move the banding element within the channel to band the crop package, the banding element having a width greater than a height of the banding element, the width of the banding element being greater than a width of the opening.

17. The banding system of claim 16 , wherein the angled surface is oriented relative to the support surface at a first angle, and wherein the second surface is oriented rel

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Kraus Timothy J

Classifications

• A01F15/07

  Rotobalers, i.e. machines for forming cylindrical bales by winding and pressing · CPC title

• B65B13/04

  with means for guiding the binding material around the articles prior to severing from supply · CPC title

• A01F15/02

  with press-boxes {(A01F15/046 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• A01F2015/183

  Constructional details of belts of the press chamber · CPC title

• A01D59/02 Primary

  Packers · CPC title