A Method and System for Determining the Plunger Load of a Baler

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016109309-A1
Application number	US-201414890347-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 8, 2014
Priority date	May 10, 2013
Publication date	Apr 21, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method and adapted electronic systems for determining a value representative for or an estimate of the load on a plunger of a baler for harvested agricultural material includes obtaining the speed of movement of a drive element for the plunger, followed by determining the estimate of or value representative for the load on the plunger based upon the obtained speed of movement of the drive element.

First claim

1 . A method for determining a value representative for the load on a plunger of a baler for forming bales of agricultural material, comprising at least a drive system for the plunger, the drive system comprising at least one moving drive element, the method comprising the steps of:
obtaining a speed of movement of the drive element of the drive system for the plunger; and determining an estimate of the load on the plunger based upon the obtained speed of movement of the drive element by use of a predetermined relationship between the speed of movement of the drive element and the load on the plunger.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the predetermined relationship is a predetermined function between the load on the plunger and the speed of movement of the drive element.

3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the predetermined relationship is selected in accordance with obtained agricultural material characteristics of the agricultural material being baled by the baler.

4 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
determining whether the plunger is operating under a first condition wherein the plunger is moving and compressing agricultural material in the baler or under a second condition wherein the plunger is only moving agricultural material in the baler without compressing the agricultural material in the baler; and the predetermined relationship being selected in accordance with the determined condition.

5 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the drive system for the plunger comprises a first subsystem, capable of obtaining an external driving force and adapted for directing a portion of this external driving force to a second subsystem specific for the plunger, wherein the drive element is part of the second subsystem.

6 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising the steps of: obtaining a signal indicative of whether at least one other bale component that is operatively connected to the drive system is actually driven by the drive system at the time instance of determining the load of the plunger; wherein determining the load of the plunger takes into account the indicative signal.

7 . The method according to claim 1 , whereby the predetermined relationship is based on a set of differential equations describing at least the dynamics of the plunger and the dynamics of the drive system, the equations including the load on the plunger and the rate of change of the speed of movement of the drive element.

8 . The method according to claim 7 , wherein a model-based estimator is used for determining a value representative of the load of the plunger, the model being based on the set of differential equations.

9 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the drive system comprises a flywheel operatively connected to the plunger, and wherein the drive element is the flywheel.

10 . A method for use in controlling the load on a plunger of a baler, the method comprising the steps of:
obtaining a speed of movement of a drive element of a drive system for the plunger; and determining a value representative of the load on the plunger based upon the obtained speed of movement of the drive element by use of a predetermined relationship between the speed of movement of the drive element and the load on the plunger; and determining a control signal for controlling the load on a plunger of a baler based on the obtained value representative of the load on the plunger.

11 . The method according to claim 10 , further being adapted for controlling the load on a plunger of a baler with at least one controllable element for controlling said load, steered by an actuator, the method further comprising the step of applying the control signal to the actuator of the controllable element.

12 . A control system for a baler comprising a plunger and driving system having at least one drive element, the system comprising
an electronic device configured for determining a value representative of a load on the plunger of the baler driven by the drive system with at least one drive element, the electronic device configured for obtaining a speed of movement of the drive element; the electronic device comprising a data storage for storing data about a predetermined relationship between the speed of movement of the drive element and the load on the plunger; and the electronic device further configured-for determining the value representative of or the estimate of the load on the plunger based upon the obtained speed of movement of the drive element by use of the stored predetermined relationship between this speed of movement of the drive element and the load on the plunger.

13 . The system according to claim 12 , further comprising a sensor, operatively connected to the electronic device and used for measuring the speed of movement of the drive element and providing the speed of movement of the drive element to the electronic device.

14 . The system according to claim 12 , the electronic device further configured for determining a control signal for controlling the load on a plunger of a baler, the data storage configured for storing a reference maximum load of the plunger and the electronic device configured for determining a control signal based on the obtained value representative of or an estimate of the load on the plunger by use of a comparator for comparing the obtained value representative of or an estimate of the load of the plunger with the stored reference maximum load of the plunger.

15 . The system according to claim 14 , wherein the electronic device is further adapted for controlling the load on the plunger of the baler, the system further comprising: one controllable element of the baler for controlling the load; and an actuator, operatively connected to the controllable element for steering in accordance with the control signal.

16 . (canceled)

Assignees

• Cnh Ind America Llc
• Univ Leuven Kath
• Induct Bvba

Inventors

• Verhaeghe Didier
• Nona Kenny
• Coen Tom

Classifications

• A01F15/042

  Plungers · CPC title

• A01F15/0841

  Drives for balers · CPC title

• A01F15/0825 Primary

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

• G01L5/00 Primary

  Apparatus for, or methods of, measuring force, work, mechanical power, or torque, specially adapted for specific purposes · CPC title

• B62D5/04

  electrical, e.g. using an electric servo-motor connected to, or forming part of, the steering gear · CPC title