Device and method for wrapping bodies, in particular bales of harvested material

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for wrapping bodies, in particular harvested material bales ( 1, 34, 50, 65 ) of hay, straw or wilted green crop, which are wrapped in at least one wrapping material web ( 8, 36, 57, 74 ). In order to improve and simplify this device with regard to adjustment and monitoring of the wrapping process, it is proposed according to the invention that the device ( 3, 4, 44, 49, 64 ) comprise one or more sensor means ( 23, 24, 28, 30, 42, 43, 47, 59, 63, 71, 75, 76 ) for monitoring and/or controlling the wrapping process and/or checking the finished bale wrapping.

1 . A device for wrapping bodies, in particular harvested material bales ( 1 ,  34 ,  50 ,  65 ) of hay, straw or wilted green crop, which are wound in at least one wrapping material web ( 8 ,  36 ,  57 ,  74 ), characterised by one or more sensor means ( 23 ,  24 ,  28 ,  30 ,  42 ,  43 ,  47 ,  59 ,  63 ,  71 ,  75 ,  76 ) for monitoring and/or controlling the wrapping process and/or for checking the finished bale wrapping.  
     
     
         2 . A device according to  claim 1 , characterised by one or more sensor means ( 24 ,  42 ,  43 ,  63 ,  71 ,  75 ) for monitoring and/or controlling the correct overlap of two wrapping material plies ( 19 ,  20 ,  57 ,  61 ,  77 ,  74 ).  
     
     
         3 . A device according to  claim 1  or  claim 2 , characterised in that at least one sensor means ( 24 ,  63 ,  71 ,  75 ) is arranged between the wrapping material web ( 20 ,  57 ,  74 ) coming from a wrapping material supply roll ( 5 ,  58 ,  73 ) and/or the previous wrapping material web ( 19 ,  61 ,  67 ) located on the bale ( 1 ,  50 ,  65 ).  
     
     
         4 . A device according to one of  claims 1  to  3 , characterised by one or more sensor means ( 23 ,  28 ,  30 ,  42 ,  43 ,  47 ,  59 ,  76 ) for monitoring and/or controlling the complete, presettable wrapping of the bale ( 1 ,  34 ,  50 ,  65 ) of harvested material.  
     
     
         5 . A device according to  claim 1  or  claim 4 , characterised in that at least one sensor means ( 28 ,  30 ,  59 ,  76 ) is associated with the unwrapped bale side ( 27 ,  31 ,  62 ), being offset circumferentially by a small distance contrary to the direction of rotation ( 10 ,  32 ,  56 ,  72 ) of the bale ( 1 ,  34 ,  50 ,  65 ) relative to the wrapping material web ( 20 ,  36 ,  57 ,  74 ) coming from a wrapping material supply roll ( 5 ,  35 ,  58 ,  73 ), which sensor means ( 28 ,  30 ,  59 ,  76 ) detects that the bale ( 1 ,  34 ,  50 ,  65 ) is covered with wrapping material.  
     
     
         6 . A device according to one of  claims 1  to  5 , characterized in that one or more sensor means ( 59 ,  63 ,  71 ,  75 ,  76 ) is/are arranged on a wrapping table ( 49 ,  64 ), which turns the bale ( 50 ,  65 ) during wrapping operation about both a horizontal ( 33 ,  55 ) and a vertical axis ( 51 ,  66 ).  
     
     
         7 . A device according to  claims 1  to  6 , characterized in that at least one sensor means ( 24 ) is arranged on one or more rotary arms ( 3 ) circling round the bale ( 1 ) during wrapping operation.  
     
     
         8 . A device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised by an electronic open-/closed-loop control unit ( 22 ), which comprises at least one sensor means ( 23 ,  47 ) for detecting and/or displaying the number of wrapping material windings on the bale ( 1 ,  34 ).  
     
     
         9 . A device according to  claim 8 , characterised in that the number of wrapping material windings may be detected up to the first complete wrapping of the entire bale surface as a function of the sensor means ( 28 ,  30 ,  59 ,  76 ).  
     
     
         10 . A device according to  claim 9 , characterised in that the number of wrapping material windings may be stored up to the first complete wrapping of a bale ( 1 ,  34 ,  50 ,  65 ) in a memory unit of the electronic open-/closed-loop control unit ( 22 ).  
     
     
         11 . A device according to one of preceding  claims 8  to  10 , characterised in that the electronic open-/closed-loop control unit ( 22 ) comprises an input unit ( 21 ), into which the desired number of wrapping material plies or layers may be input.  
     
     
         12 . A device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that the electronic open-/closed-loop control unit ( 22 ) comprises a computer which, as a function of the detected and/or preset values, itself determines the number of wrapping material windings, i.e. the number of bale revolutions about the axis ( 51 ,  66 ) or the number of rotary arm revolutions ( 3 ,  44 ), required for the preset number of wrapping material plies to be reached.  
     
     
         13 . A device according to  claim 12 , characterised in that the number of wrapping material windings is determined taking into account a safety factor which may be preset in an input unit ( 21 ).  
     
     
         14 . A device according to one or more of preceding  claims 8  to  11 , characterised in that the electronic open-/closed-loop control unit ( 22 ) comprises an input unit ( 21 ), into which the degree of overlap ( 18 , X, Y) of two successive wrapping material windings ( 19 ,  20 ,  57 ,  61 ,  67 ,  70 ) may be directly or indirectly input.  
     
     
         15 . A device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that the actual degree of overlap may be directly or indirectly influenced in the event of deviation from the desired degree of overlap as a function of the sensor means ( 24 ,  42 ,  43 ,  63 ,  71 ,  75 ).  
     
     
         16 . A device according to  claim 15 , characterised in that the sensor means ( 24 ,  42 ,  43 ,  63 ,  71 ,  75 ) at least signals to the operator deviations from the desired degree of overlap.  
     
     
         17 . A device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that a gloss sensor is provided, which detects the unwrapped bale surface as matt and the wrapped bale surface as glossy.  
     
     
         18 . A device according to one or more of preceding  claims 1  to  16 , characterised in that a conductivity sensor is provided, which responds to the different conductivities of a bale ( 1 ) with and without a wrapping of wrapping material ( 2 ).  
     
     
         19 . A device according to one or more of preceding  claims 1  to  16 , characterised in that the device comprises a pressure sensor, which detects the different measured feed pressure values of a bale surface with and without wrapping material.  
     
     
         20 . A device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that a sensor means ( 24 ,  42 ,  63 ) responds to different wrapping material thicknesses through overlapping wrapping material webs.  
     
     
         21 . A device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that a sensor means ( 24 ,  42 ,  63 ,  71 ) detects different wrapping material colours or coloured markings.  
     
     
         22 . A device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that a sensor means ( 24 ,  29 ,  42 ,  59 ,  63 ,  71 ,  76 ) responds to different light or sound reflections from the wrapped and unwrapped bale surface.  
     
     
         23 . A device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that one or more sensor means may be conformed to different bale dimensions and/or wrapping material widths.  
     
     
         24 . A device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that the sensor means ( 24 ,  63 ,  71 ,  75 ) may be adjusted to preset overlaps ( 18 , X, Y) of two wrapping material webs ( 19 ,  20 ,  57 ,  61 ,  67 ,  70 ).  
     
     
         25 . A device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that a sensor means ( 24 ,  29 ,  42 ,  59 ,  63 ,  71 ,  75 ,  76 ) is arranged at a distance from the bale surface.  
     
     
         26 . A device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that the sensor means ( 30 ,  42 ,  43 ) is carried by a guide element ( 41 ) following the bale contour.  
     
     
         27 . A device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that a sensor means ( 41 ,  42 ,  43 ) directly or indirectly measures and/or signals the feed path of the bale ( 34 ) in the circumferential direction of rotation ( 32 ) of the bale ( 34 ).  
     
     
         28 . A device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that a sensor ( 42 ,  43 ) is provided for establishing whether the bale ( 34 ) turns during wrapping operation.  
     
     
         29 . A device according to  claim 28 , characterised in that the sensor ( 42 ,  43 ) is in direct or indirect active connection with at least one further sensor means ( 47 ) and the open-/closed-loop control unit ( 22 )  
     
     
         30 . A device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised by a film tear display means and/or a means for signalling the end of the wrapping material supply roll.  
     
     
         31 . A device according to one or more of  claims 28  to  30 , characterised in that the sensor ( 42 ,  43 ) is coupled to the electronic open-/closed-loop control unit ( 22 ) and in that the wrapping process may be influenced directly or indirectly by the sensor ( 42 ,  43 ).  
     
     
         32 . A device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that a length meter for the length of wrapping material applied to a bale, i.e. drawn off from the wrapping material supply roll is associated with a wrapping material web, a wrapping material web supply roll or at least one deflection or take-off roll, which length meter signals and/or displays the measured value.  
     
     
         33 . A device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that one or more sensor means signal if, within a presettable time, a presettable bale rotation or a predeterminable take-off length of the wrapping material, the working area of at least one sensor means is not covered.  
     
     
         34 . A method of wrapping bodies in a device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that the number of wrapping material windings required to wrap the bale ( 1 ,  34 ,  50 ,  65 ) completely for the first time is measured by sensor means ( 28 ,  23 ,  30 ,  47 ,  59 ,  76 ) and signalled to an open-/closed-loop control unit ( 22 ) and/or the operator.  
     
     
         35 . A method of wrapping bodies according to  claim 34 , characterised in that the measured number of wrapping material windings serves as a parameter for the wrapping material plies or layers to be applied to the bale.  
     
     
         36 . A method according to  claim 35 , characterised in that the open-/closed-loop control unit ( 22 ) comprises a computer which calculates the total number of wrapping material windings from the measured number of wrapping material windings and the preset number of wrapping material plies/layers.  
     
     
         37 . A method according to  claim 35  or  claim 36 , characterised in that a safety parameter may be input directly or indirectly into the open-/closed-loop control unit ( 22 ), which safety parameter adds one or more wrapping material windings to the measured number of wrapping material windings.  
     
     
         38 . A method of wrapping bodies according to one of  claims 34  to  37  or in a device according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the desired degree of overlap ( 18 , X, Y) of two successive wrapping material webs or the speed ratio may be input directly or indirectly into an electronic open-/closed-loop control unit ( 22 ).  
     
     
         39 . A method according to  claim 38 , characterised in that deviation of the actual degree of overlap of two successive wrapping material webs ( 19 ,  20 ,  57 ,  61 ,  67 ,  74 ) on the bale ( 1 ,  34 ,  50 ,  65 ) from the preset desired degree of overlap ( 18 , X, Y) may be established by one or more sensor means ( 23 ,  24 ,  42 ,  43 ,  63 ,  71 ,  75 ) and signalled to the open-/closed-loop control unit ( 22 ) and/or the operator.  
     
     
         40 . A method according to  claim 39 , characterised in that the actual degree of overlap may be influenced as a function of the sensor means ( 24 ,  42 ,  43 ,  63 ,  71 ,  75 ) in particular in the event of deviation of the actual degree of overlap from the desired degree of overlap.  
     
     
         41 . A method according to  claim 38 , characterised in that the wrapping material web width may be input into an electronic open-/closed-loop control unit ( 22 ).  
     
     
         42 . A method according to  claim 41 , characterised in that the degree of overlap may be influenced as a function of the wrapping material width.