Round baler with tailgate position sensor and method of operating the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11160216-B2
Application number	US-201916393252-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 24, 2019
Priority date	May 18, 2018
Publication date	Nov 2, 2021
Grant date	Nov 2, 2021

Abstract

A round baler includes a pick-up unit for picking up crop material from the ground, a baling chamber which receives the crop material from the pick-up unit, and a press mounted within the baling chamber for forming a bale during a bale formation cycle. The baler also includes a binding unit for dispensing a binding material for binding the bale, a tailgate displaceable by an actuator from a closed position at the beginning of a bale formation cycle to an open position to dispense the bale after the binding cycle. A sensor detects a first tailgate position after the bale formation cycle and before the binding cycle, and detects a second tailgate position after the binding cycle and before displacing the tailgate to the opened position. A controller is responsive to the sensor by determining a tailgate position change between the second tailgate position and the first tailgate position.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A round baler, comprising:
a pick-up unit being operable to pick up crop material from the ground;
a baling chamber configured to receive the crop material from the pick-up unit;
a press device mounted within the baling chamber, the press device being operable to form a bale during a bale formation cycle;
a binding unit dispensing a binding material for binding the bale formed in a binding cycle;
a tailgate moveable between a closed position and an open position and operably displaceable by an actuator from the closed position toward the open position during a dispensing sequence to dispense the bale after the binding cycle;
a sensor configured to detect a first tailgate position after the bale formation cycle and before the binding cycle, and to detect a second tailgate position after the binding cycle and before initiating the dispensing sequence to dispense the bale;
a controller in electrical communication with and responsive to the sensor, the controller configured to define a tailgate position change as a difference between the second tailgate position and the first tailgate position;
wherein the controller is configured to determine if the tailgate position change is in a direction moving from the open position of the tailgate toward the closed position of the tailgate, or if the tailgate position change is not in a direction moving from the open position of the tailgate toward the closed position of the tailgate;
wherein the controller is configured to allow the dispensing sequence when the tailgate position change is in the direction moving from the open position of the tailgate toward the closed position of the tailgate; and
wherein the controller is configured to prevent the dispensing sequence when the tailgate position change is not in the direction moving from the open position of the tailgate toward the closed position of the tailgate.

2. The round baler of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to indicate the tailgate position change on an indicating unit.

3. The round baler of claim 1 , wherein the controller controllably triggers the actuator to enable the dispensing sequence corresponding to the tailgate position change.

4. The round baler of claim 1 , wherein the controller operably controls the indicating unit to indicate that the binding cycle is complete when the tailgate position change is in the direction moving from the open position toward the closed position.

5. The round baler of claim 1 , wherein the controller operably controls the indicating unit to indicate that the binding cycle is incomplete when the tailgate position change is not in the direction moving from the open position toward the closed position.

6. The round baler of claim 1 , wherein the tailgate is operably opened by user intervention after completion of the binding cycle is indicated by the controller.

7. The round baler of claim 1 , wherein the tailgate is automatically opened after completion of binding cycle is indicated by the controller.

8. The round baler as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to compare an absolute value of the tailgate position change to a threshold value to determine if the absolute value of the tailgate position change is greater than the threshold value or if the absolute value of the tailgate position change is not greater than the threshold value.

9. The round baler set forth in claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to allow the dispensing sequence when the absolute value of the tailgate position change is greater than the threshold value, and to prevent the dispensing sequence when the absolute value of the tailgate position change is not greater than the threshold value.

10. The round baler set forth in claim 8 , wherein the threshold value is equal to zero.

11. A method of operating a round baler, the round baler including a pick-up unit, a baling chamber, a press device, a binding unit, a tailgate moveable between a closed position and an open position, a sensor, and a controller, the method comprising:
introducing a crop material into the baling chamber from the pick-up unit;
initiating a bale formation cycle in the baling chamber, whereby a bale exhibiting a first dimension is formed;
detecting with the sensor a first tailgate position of the tailgate associated with the first dimension of the bale at the end of the bale formation cycle after formation of the bale;
initiating a binding cycle for binding the bale with a binding material, whereby the bale exhibits a second dimension after the binding cycle;
detecting with the sensor a second tailgate position of the tailgate associated with the second dimension of the bale at the end of the binding cycle;
determining a tailgate position change based on a difference between the first tailgate position and the second tailgate position;
indicating the tailgate position change in the indicating unit;
determining if an absolute value of the tailgate position change is greater than a threshold value, or if the absolute value of the tailgate position change is not greater than the threshold value;
allowing initiation of a dispensing sequence to move the tailgate from the closed position to the open position when the absolute value of the tailgate position change is greater than the threshold value; and
preventing initiation of the dispensing sequence when the absolute value of the tailgate position change is not greater than the threshold value.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising comparing the tailgate position change with respect to a direction of position change of the tailgate towards the closed position or towards the n open position of the tailgate.

13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising automatically initiating the dispensing sequence after completion of the binding cycle and when the tailgate position change is greater than the threshold value.

14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising communicating the completion of the binding cycle by the controller via the indicating unit, when the tailgate position change is greater than the threshold value.

15. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
controlling the indicating unit to indicate that the binding cycle is incomplete when the tailgate position change is not greater than the threshold value.

16. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
allowing initiation of the dispensing sequence to move the tailgate from the closed position to the open position when the direction of the tailgate position change is towards the closed position; and
preventing initiation of the dispensing sequence when the direction of the tailgate position change is towards the open position.

17. A round baler, comprising:
a baling chamber configured to receive a crop material;
a press device disposed within the baling chamber and operable to form the crop material into a bale during a bale formation cycle, whereby the bale exhibits a first dimension after the bale formation cycle;
a binding unit dispensing a binding material for binding the bale formed in a binding cycle, whereby the bale exhibits a second dimension after the binding cycle;
a tailgate moveable between a closed position and an open position;
a sensor configured to detect a first tailgate position associated with the first dimension after the bale formation cycle and before the binding cycle, and to detect a second tailgate position associated with the second dimension after the binding cycle and before moving the tailgate into the opened position to dispense the bale;
a contr

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Lebeau Jonathan
• Chapon Emmanuel
• Mercier Jean-Alexis

Classifications

• A01F15/07

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

• A01F15/0715

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

• A01D43/006

  with devices for pressing or compacting · CPC title

• A01F15/0883 Primary

  for round balers · CPC title

• A01F15/08 Primary

  Details · CPC title