Crop baler with stuffer countermass

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020396902-A1
Application number	US-202016948095-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 3, 2020
Priority date	Nov 10, 2016
Publication date	Dec 24, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

A crop baler with a stuffer flywheel mass for baling a crop, the baler comprising: a supporting frame that can be moved across a field; a crop pick-up configured to pick up the crop from a ground of the field; a conveyor configured to convey the crop picked up by the crop pick-up; a pressing chamber having a stuffer configured to compress the crop conveyed into the pressing chamber by the conveyor into a form of a bale; and a drive for producing a reciprocating movement of the stuffer, the drive further comprising a flywheel mass with a variable moment of inertia.

First claim

The following is claimed:

1 . A crop baler with a stuffer flywheel mass for baling a crop, the baler comprising:
a supporting frame that can be moved across a field; a crop pick-up configured to pick up the crop from a ground of the field; a conveyor configured to convey the crop picked up by the crop pick-up; a pressing chamber having a stuffer configured to compress the crop conveyed into the pressing chamber by the conveyor into a form of a bale; and a drive for producing a reciprocating movement of the stuffer, the drive further comprising a flywheel mass with a variable moment of inertia.

2 . The crop baler according to claim 1 , wherein the drive further comprises a transmission, a crank that can be driven by the transmission, and a connecting rod drivingly connecting the crank to the stuffer.

3 . The crop baler according to claim 2 , wherein the flywheel mass rotates with the crank and connecting rod.

4 . The crop baler according to claim 1 , wherein the reciprocating movement of the stuffer is parallel to the forward direction of travel of the crop baler and the movement of the flywheel is in a direction opposite the stuffer.

5 . The crop baler according to claim 1 , wherein the flywheel mass comprises a central shaft and rotational masses that can be moved radially outward relative to the shaft against a spring force.

6 . The crop baler according to claim 1 , further comprising a drawbar extending from the supporting frame and a power take off shaft coupled to the drive, wherein the drawbar and the power take off are configured to be connected to a traction vehicle.

7 . The crop baler according to claim 6 further comprising a control unit, the control unit configured to adjust the operation of the traction vehicle connected to the crop baler based on the movements of the stuffer and flywheel mass to main a target speed value.

8 . The crop baler according to claim 7 , wherein the control unit is configured to control at least one of the rotational speed of a drive engine of the traction vehicle or the propulsion speed of the traction vehicle with the aim of maintaining a target value.

9 . The crop baler according to claim 8 wherein the control unit is coupled to the drive and a controller, the control unit obtaining a pressing force measurement of the stuffer during the reciprocating movement, the pressing force indicative of a power consumption of the stuffer, the controller generating an input variable based on the power consumption that adjusts the movement of the supporting frame across the field.

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Gresch Valentin
• Jung Benedikt
• Waibel Christian

Classifications

• A01F15/0841 Primary

  Drives for balers · CPC title

• A01F15/08 Primary

  Details · CPC title

• A01F15/042

  Plungers · CPC title

• A01D89/002

  Rotors · CPC title

• A01F15/046

  with press-boxes · CPC title