Round baler with bearing overload protection

A baler implement comprising:

• a support structure;
• a housing supported by the support structure;
• a gate rotatably coupled to the housing for rotation relative to the housing about a gate rotation axis, between a closed position and an open position;
• a bale formation system defining a baling chamber configured to form crop material into a bale having a cylindrical shape, and including a roller configured to apply a compressive force against the bale during formation of the bale within the baling chamber;
• a bale size sensor operable to sense data related to a diametric size of the bale within the baling chamber and generate a data signal indicative of the sensed data;
• a baler controller including a processor and a memory having a bearing protection algorithm stored thereon, wherein the processor is operable to execute the bearing protection algorithm to:
• determine a current diametric size of the bale within the baling chamber from the data signal received from the bale size sensor;
• determine if the current diametric size of the bale is equal to a pressure release diameter threshold;
• and
• automatically control the bale formation system to decrease the compressive force of the roller applied against the bale when the current diametric size of the bale is equal to the pressure release diameter threshold.

A method of controlling a baler implement, the method comprising:

• determining a current diameter of a cylindrical bale being formed within a baling chamber of a bale formation system with a baler controller, wherein the bale formation system includes a roller configured to apply a compressive force against the bale during formation thereof;
• determining if the current diameter of the cylindrical bale is equal to a pressure release diameter threshold with the baler controller;
• and
• automatically controlling the bale formation system with the baler controller to decrease the compressive force applied by the roller against the bale when the current diametric size of the bale is equal to the pressure release diameter threshold.