Round baler with scale and moisture meter
AssigneeVermeer Manufacturing Company
InventorsTom Duenwald, Scott Rempe, Calvin Meinders
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A large round baler equipped with moisture sensing apparatus and a bale scale to improve information useful in baling and using bales. Moisture sensing begins after the bale reaches a predetermined diameter. A history of bale weights is used to estimate how much tension to apply to a belt tensioner to achieve both a target bale weight and a target bale size.
Claims13
A method of achieving a desired bale weight using a large round baler producing cylindrical bales and having a belt tensioner with a variable tension, the method comprising:
- (a) selecting a target bale weight;
- (b) completing a plurality of cylindrical bales;
- (c) weighing each of said plurality of cylindrical bales after completing each of the plurality of cylindrical bales;
- (d) storing weights of the plurality of cylindrical bales;
- (e) tensioning the belt tensioner for each of the plurality of cylindrical bales;
- (f) storing a value related to the tension of the belt tensioner for each of the plurality of cylindrical bales;
- (g) utilizing the stored weights of the plurality of cylindrical bales and a plurality of the stored values related to the tension of the belt tensioner for each of the plurality of cylindrical bales to estimate a new tension of the belt tensioner to achieve the target bale weight;
- (h) adjusting the tension of the belt tensioner to the estimated new tension;
- and
- (i) completing an additional cylindrical bale.
An apparatus for achieving a target bale weight using a large round baler producing cylindrical bales, the apparatus comprising:
- (a) a large round baler;
- (b) a scale to sense a weight of each of a plurality of completed cylindrical bales;
- (c) a first memory in which to store the weights of the plurality of cylindrical bales;
- (d) a belt tensioner, a tension of which varies a density of the cylindrical bale;
- (e) a second memory in which to store the belt tensioner tensions for each of the plurality of completed cylindrical bales;
- (f) a calculation module for estimating a new belt tensioner tension to achieve the target bale weight by utilizing the stored weights of the plurality of cylindrical bales and the stored belt tensioner tensions for each of the plurality of cylindrical bales;
- (h) an actuator for adjusting the belt tensioner tension to the estimated new belt tensioner tension.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.