Bale Measurement System and Method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016290798-A1
Application number	US-201415038249-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 20, 2014
Priority date	Nov 22, 2013
Publication date	Oct 6, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A bale measuring method for a rectangular baler having a bale chamber in which bales are formed. The bale measuring method includes steps of measuring a movement of crop material downstream of the bale chamber as the crop material moves backward in the baler, using the measured movement of the crop material downstream of the bale chamber to calibrate a measurement and calculation tool for measuring a movement of crop material in the bale chamber and for calculating a length of a bale being formed in the bale chamber based on the measurement, and determining the length of the bale being formed in the bale chamber using the calibrated measurement and calculation tool as the bale moves backward in the baler.

First claim

1 . A bale measuring method for a rectangular baler having a bale chamber in which bales are formed, comprising the steps of:
measuring a movement of crop material downstream of the bale chamber as the crop material moves backward in the baler; using the measured movement of the crop material downstream of the bale chamber for calibrating a measurement and calculation tool for measuring a movement of crop material in the bale chamber and for calculating a length of a bale being formed in the bale chamber based on the measured movement of crop material in the bale chamber; and determining the length of the bale being formed in the bale chamber using the calibrated measurement and calculation tool.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein calibrating the measurement and calculation tool comprises determining at least one calibration parameter based on the measured movement of crop material downstream of the bale chamber and the measured movement of the crop material in the bale chamber, and wherein the length of the bale being formed in the bale chamber is determined using the at least one calibration parameter and the measured movement of crop material in the bale chamber.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the determining at least one calibration parameter is based on a comparison of the measured movement of crop material downstream of the bale chamber and the measured movement of the crop material in the bale chamber, wherein the movements of the crop material downstream of the bale chamber and the crop material in the bale chamber are measured at the same time.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the measurement of the movements of the crop material downstream of the bale chamber and the crop material in the bale chamber is started a predetermined time since the beginning of formation of the bale in the bale chamber and is stopped when a predetermined value for the movement of the crop material downstream of the bale chamber or the crop material in the bale chamber is reached.

5 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the movements of the crop material downstream of the bale chamber and the crop material in the bale chamber are measured between a first time corresponding to a first number of strokes performed by the baler since the beginning of formation of the bale, and a second time corresponding to a second larger number of strokes performed by the baler since the beginning of the formation of the bale.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the bale is a first bale, and wherein:
the step of measuring the movement of crop material downstream of the bale chamber comprises measuring a movement of the first bale downstream of the bale chamber as the first bale moves backward in the baler; the method further comprises a step of calculating a length of the first bale downstream of the bale chamber based on the measured movement of first bale downstream of the bale chamber; the step of calibrating the measurement and calculation tool comprises determining at least one calibration parameter based on a comparison of the determined length of the first bale in the bale chamber with the calculated length of the first bale downstream of the bale chamber; and the method further comprises a step of calculating a length of a second bale being formed in the bale chamber using the calibrated measurement and calculating tool.

7 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of measuring the movement of crop material downstream of the bale chamber is performed at different positions on the crop material.

8 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising a step of triggering a tying mechanism of the baler when the length of the bale being formed in the bale chamber reaches a predetermined value.

9 . A bale measuring system for a rectangular baler having a bale chamber in which bales are formed, the system comprising:
a downstream crop material measurement system adapted for measuring a movement of crop material downstream of the bale chamber; a measurement and calculation tool adapted for:
measuring a movement of crop material in the bale chamber; for
determining at least one calibration parameter using:
the movement of the crop material downstream of the bale chamber as measured by the downstream crop material measurement system; and
the measured movement of the crop material in the bale chamber; and

determining the length of a bale being formed in the bale chamber using the at least one calibration parameter and the measured movement of the crop material in the bale chamber.

10 . The system according to claim 9 , wherein the downstream crop material measurement system comprises:
a calibration wheel for measuring the movement of crop material downstream of the bale chamber, the calibration wheel adapted to engage the crop material downstream of the bale chamber and to rotate as the crop material is being moved downstream of the bale chamber; and a sensor adapted for measuring the rotation of the calibration wheel.

11 . The system according to claim 10 , wherein the crop material measurement system comprises a plurality of calibration wheels arranged at different positions.

12 . The system according to claim 9 , wherein the measurement and calculation tool comprises:
a measuring wheel for measuring the movement of the crop material in the bale chamber, the measuring wheel adapted to engage the crop material in the bale chamber and to rotate as the crop material is being moved in the bale chamber; and a sensor adapted for measuring the rotation of the measuring wheel.

13 . The system according to claim 9 , further comprising a trigger adapted for triggering a tying mechanism of the baler when the length of the bale being formed in the bale chamber reaches a predetermined value.

14 . A baler comprising the bale measuring system according to claim 9 .

15 . A measuring method for a rectangular baler having a bale chamber in which bales are formed, the method comprising steps of:
measuring a movement of crop material downstream of the bale chamber as the crop material moves backward in the baler; measuring a movement of crop material in the bale chamber using a measurement and calculation tool; calibrating the measurement and calculation tool; and calculating a length of a bale being formed in the bale chamber using the calibrated measurement and calculation tool.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the step of calibrating the measurement and calculation tool comprises determining at least one calibration parameter based on the measured movement of crop material downstream of the bale chamber and the measured movement of the crop material in the bale chamber, and wherein the step of calculating the length of the bale being formed in the bale chamber using the calibrated measurement and calculation tool comprises calculating a length of the bale being formed in the bale chamber based on the at least one calibration parameter and the measured movement of crop material in the bale chamber.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the determining at least one calibration parameter is based on a comparison of the measured movement of crop material downstream of the bale chamber and the measured movement of the crop material in the bale chamber, the comparison performed by the measurement and calculation tool, wherein the steps of measuring are performed at the same time.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the steps of measuring are started a predetermined time since the beginning of formation of the bale in the bale chamber and are stoppe

Assignees

• Cnh Ind America Llc

Inventors

• Verhaeghe Didier
• Coen Tom

Classifications

• G01B21/06 Primary

  specially adapted for measuring length or width of objects while moving · CPC title

• A01F15/145

  Twine knotters · CPC title

• A01F15/042

  Plungers · CPC title

• A01F15/0825 Primary

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