Baling system having a bale position sensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9980437-B2
Application number	US-201414225204-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 25, 2014
Priority date	Mar 25, 2014
Publication date	May 29, 2018
Grant date	May 29, 2018

Abstract

A system includes a baling chamber designed to form a round bale and a tailgate rotatably coupled to the baling chamber. The tailgate rotates between a closed position that facilitates formation of the round bale and an open position that facilitates ejection of the round bale from the baling chamber. The system includes a ramp coupled to the baling chamber. The ramp is designed to receive the round bale upon ejection from the baling chamber and to direct the round bale away from the baling chamber to a cleared position on the ramp that enables the tailgate to rotate from the open position to the closed position without contacting the round bale. The system also includes a sensor coupled to a distal end of the ramp. The sensor is designed to detect presence of the round bale in the cleared position.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A baling system, comprising:
a baling chamber configured to form a round bale;
a tailgate rotatably coupled to the baling chamber, wherein the tailgate is configured to rotate between a closed position that facilitates formation of the round bale and an open position that facilitates ejection of the round bale from the baling chamber;
a ramp coupled to the baling chamber and configured to receive the round bale upon ejection from the baling chamber, wherein the ramp is configured to direct the round bale away from the baling chamber to a cleared position on the ramp that enables the tailgate to rotate from the open position to the closed position without contacting the round bale; and
a sensor coupled to a distal end of the ramp, wherein the sensor is configured to detect presence of the round bale in the cleared position on the ramp.

2. The baling system of claim 1 , comprising an actuator assembly coupled to the tailgate, wherein the actuator assembly is configured to rotate the tailgate between the open position and the closed position.

3. The baling system of claim 2 , comprising a controller communicatively coupled to the sensor and to the actuator assembly, wherein the controller is configured to instruct the actuator assembly to block rotation of the tailgate from the open position to the closed position while the round bale is not in the cleared position.

4. The baling system of claim 1 , comprising a controller communicatively coupled to the sensor and a user interface communicatively coupled to the controller, wherein the user interface is configured to receive a signal from the controller indicative of a position of the round bale.

5. The baling system of claim 4 , wherein the signal indicative of the position of the round bale is an alert signal indicating the round bale is not in the cleared position.

6. The baling system of claim 4 , wherein the signal indicative of the position of the round bale is a clear signal indicating the round bale is in the cleared position.

7. The baling system of claim 3 , wherein the actuator assembly comprises a hydraulic system.

8. The baling system of claim 7 , wherein the hydraulic system comprises a hydraulic actuator coupled to the tailgate, and a valve assembly communicatively coupled to the controller and configured to control fluid flow to the hydraulic actuator.

9. The baling system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises a leaf spring switch, a strain gauge, a momentary switch, or a combination thereof.

10. The baling system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises a Hall Effect sensor, an infrared sensor, a capacitive sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, or a combination thereof.

11. A baling system, comprising:
a ramp configured to receive a round bale from a baling chamber, wherein the ramp is configured to direct the round bale away from the baling chamber to a cleared position on the ramp that enables a tailgate to rotate from an open position to a closed position without contacting the round bale; and
a sensor coupled to a distal end of the ramp, wherein the sensor is configured to detect presence of the round bale in the cleared position on the ramp, and wherein the sensor is configured to output a signal indicative of a position of the bale on the ramp.

12. The baling system of claim 11 , wherein the sensor comprises a leaf spring switch, a strain gauge, a momentary switch, or a combination thereof.

13. The baling system of claim 11 , wherein the sensor comprises a Hall Effect sensor, an infrared sensor, a capacitive sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, or a combination thereof.

14. The baling system of claim 11 , wherein the signal indicative of the position of the round bale is an alert signal indicating the round bale is not in the cleared position.

15. A baling system, comprising:
a baling chamber configured to form a round bale;
a tailgate rotatably coupled to the baling chamber, wherein the tailgate is configured to rotate between a closed position that facilitates formation of the round bale and an open position that facilitates ejection of the round bale from the baling chamber;
a ramp coupled to the baling chamber and configured to receive the round bale upon ejection from the baling chamber, wherein the ramp is configured to direct the round bale away from the baling chamber to a cleared position on the ramp that enables the tailgate to rotate from the open position to the closed position without contacting the round bale;
an actuator assembly coupled to the tailgate, wherein the actuator assembly is configured to rotate the tailgate between the open position and the closed position;
a sensor coupled to a distal end of the ramp, wherein the sensor is configured to detect presence of the round bale in the cleared position on the ramp; and
a controller communicatively coupled to the sensor, wherein the controller is configured to instruct the actuator assembly to rotate the tailgate from the open position to the closed position upon detection of the round bale in the cleared position on the ramp.

16. The baling system of claim 15 , comprising a hydraulic system communicatively coupled to the controller and configured to rotate the tailgate between the open position and the closed position, wherein the controller is configured to instruct the actuator assembly to block rotation of the tailgate from the open position to the closed position while the round bale is not in the cleared position.

17. The baling system of claim 15 , wherein the actuator assembly comprises a hydraulic system.

18. The baling system of claim 17 , wherein the hydraulic system comprises a hydraulic actuator coupled to the tailgate, and a valve assembly communicatively coupled to the controller and configured to control fluid flow to the hydraulic actuator.

19. The baling system of claim 15 , comprising a user interface communicatively coupled to the controller and configured to send a signal to the controller indicative of a desired position of the tailgate.

20. The baling system of claim 15 , wherein the controller is configured to instruct the actuator assembly to rotate the tailgate to the desired position unless the round bale is not in the cleared position.

Assignees

• Cnh Ind America Llc
• Cnh Ind American Llc

Inventors

• Smith Kevin M

Classifications

• A01F15/0883 Primary

  for round balers · CPC title

• A01D90/10

  Unloading means · CPC title