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US 9,775,298 B2Granted
Rotor feeder unit for agricultural machines
AssigneeCNH Industrial America LLC
InventorsBram Rosseel, Jeroen Devroe, Dries Liefooghe, Dieter Kindt
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A rotor feeder unit for an agricultural machine, such as an agricultural baler. The rotor feeder unit includes a rotor feeder, and a drive for driving the rotor feeder. The drive of the rotor feeder unit include an input that is configured to be coupled to a power source, an output coupled to the rotor feeder for rotating the rotor feeder about its axis of rotation, and a variable ratio transmission coupling the input and the output. The variable ratio transmission includes a variable-diameter input pulley, a variable-diameter output pulley, and a belt arranged between the input pulley and the output pulley.
Claims12
A rotor feeder unit for an agricultural machine, the rotor feeder unit comprising:
- a rotor feeder carrying a set of tines for cutting crop material;
- a drive for driving the rotor feeder, the drive comprising:
- an input that is configured to be coupled to a power source;
- an output coupled to the rotor feeder for rotating the rotor feeder about its axis of rotation;
- and
- a mechanical continuously variable ratio transmission coupling the input and the output, wherein the mechanical continuously variable ratio transmission is of a belt type comprising:
- a variable-diameter input pulley;
- a variable-diameter output pulley;
- a belt arranged between the input pulley and the output pulley;
- an actuator for selective operation of the mechanical continuously variable ratio transmisson;
- and
- a controller connected to the actuator for controlling the actuator;
- and
- at least one sensor connected to the controller and configured for measuring at least one operational parameter of the rotor feeder, wherein the controller is configured for causing the actuator to selectively operate the variable ratio transmission based on the at least one operational parameter measured by the sensor.
11 more elements
An agricultural machine, comprising:
- a rotor feeder unit configured for conveying crop material, the rotor feeder unit comprising:
- a rotor feeder carrying a set of tines for cutting crop material;
- a drive for driving the rotor feeder, the drive comprising:
- an input that is configured to be coupled to a power source;
- an output coupled to the rotor feeder for rotating the rotor feeder about its axis of rotation;
- and a mechanical continuously variable ratio transmission coupling the input and the output, wherein the mechanical continuously variable ratio transmission is of a belt type comprising:
- a variable-diameter input pulley;
- a variable-diameter output pulley;
- a belt arranged between the input pulley and the output pulley;
- an actuator for selective operation of the mechanical continuously variable ratio transmission;
- and a controller connected to the actuator for controlling the actuator;
- and at least one sensor connected to the controller and configured for measuring at least one operational parameter of the rotor feeder, wherein the controller is configured for causing the actuator to selectively operate the variable ratio transmission based on the at least one operational parameter measured by the sensor;
- at least one additional operation implement;
- and
- a main drive for driving the rotor feeder unit and the at least one additional operational implement, wherein the main drive comprises an output for driving the rotor feeder unit and the input of the drive of the rotor feeder unit is coupled to the output of the main drive.
12 more elements
An agricultural baler, comprising:
- a bale chamber having an inlet opening formed therein;
- a feeder duct communicating with the bale chamber through the inlet opening for charges of crop material to be transferred from the feeder duct into the bale chamber;
- a plunger reciprocally movable within the bale chamber to compress successive charges of crop material received from the feeder duct to form a bale;
- a feeder operable within the feeder duct to accumulate a charge of crop material therein and then stuff that accumulated charge into the bale chamber;
- a rotor feeder unit configured for conveying crop material to the feeder duct, the rotor feeder unit comprising:
- a rotor feeder carrying a set of tines for cutting crop material;
- a drive for driving the rotor feeder, the drive comprising:
- an input that is configured to be coupled to a power source;
- an output coupled to the rotor feeder for rotating the rotor feeder about its axis of rotation;
- and a mechanical continuously variable ratio transmission coupling the input and the output, wherein the mechanical continuously variable ratio transmission is of a belt type comprising:
- a variable-diameter input pulley;
- a variable-diameter output pulley;
- a belt arranged between the input pulley and the output pulley;
- an actuator for selective operation of the mechanical continuously variable ratio transmisson;
- and a controller connected to the actuator for controlling the actuator;
- and at least one sensor connected to the controller and configured for measuring at least one operational parameter of the rotor feeder, wherein the controller is configured for causing the actuator to selectively operate the variable ratio transmission based on the at least one operation parameter measured by the sensor;
- and
- a main drive for driving the plunger, the feeder, and the rotor feeder unit, wherein the main drive is provided with an output for driving the rotor feeder unit and the input of the drive of the rotor feeder unit is coupled to the output of the main drive.
15 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.