Baler Mesh Wrap Control With Tension Variance

Abstract

In an example embodiment, a bale wrap mechanism is configured to wrap a bale with a pre-tensioned wrap material and include a wrap material dispensing mechanism and a wrap material tensioning mechanism. The dispensing mechanism is configured to provide wrap material to a rotating bale in a baling chamber, and the tension mechanism is configured to pretension the wrap material by manipulating the speed of the meshwrap supply relative to the speed of the rotating bale in accordance with a predetermined scheme. The tensioning mechanism may include a brake to manipulate a material wrap payoff roll and a controller to manipulate the brake. A user interface may be used to provide a desired scheme to the controller, such as a desired tension.

1 . A system for wrapping a bale in a baler, comprising:
 a bale wrap apparatus configured to provide wrap material to a rotating bale in a baling chamber of a baler; and   a bale wrap tensioner apparatus configured to manipulate a pretension of the wrap material after a portion of the wrap material is gripped with the rotating bale.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the bale wrap apparatus comprises:
 a bale wrap dispenser configured to payoff wrap material to the rotating bale.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the bale wrap tensioner comprises:
 a brake configured to manipulate the payoff of a bale wrap dispenser; and   a controller configured to manipulate the brake in accordance with a predetermined scheme.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the controller is configured to apply the brake after the wrap material is gripped with the rotating bale. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the controller is configured to apply the brake in accordance with a predetermined scheme. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the predetermined scheme comprises a predetermined stretch value for the wrap material. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the predetermined scheme comprises a predetermined time period. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the predetermined scheme comprises a stretch value in response to a crop value. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the predetermined scheme comprises a stretch value in response to a wrap material value. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a detection mechanism configured to determine whether a portion of the wrap material is sufficiently gripped with the rotating bale to tension the wrap material.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the detection mechanism is configured to determine a peripheral speed of the rotating bale and a payoff speed of the wrap material. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the detection mechanism comprises:
 a bale speed sensor to detect a peripheral speed of the rotating bale; and   a meshwrap payoff sensor to detect a payoff of the wrap material.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the detection system is configured to determine the relative speed of the wrap material payoff and the peripheral speed of the rotating bale. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a user interface configured to receive a desired tension value of the wrap material. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the tensioner apparatus is configured to tension the wrap material in accordance with the desired tension value. 
     
     
         16 . A tension apparatus, comprising:
 a brake configured to manipulate the speed of a payoff roll of wrap material without contacting the wrap material, wherein the brake is configured to contact an inner core of a wrap dispenser roll.   
     
     
         17 . The tension apparatus of  claim 16 , further comprising a controller to manipulate the brake in accordance with a predetermined scheme. 
     
     
         18 . An apparatus for tensioning wrap material for a rotating bale in a baling chamber of a baler, comprising:
 a brake configured to slow the payoff of wrap material from a wrap material dispenser; and   a controller configured to manipulate the brake in accordance with a predetermined scheme.   
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the controller is configured to apply the brake after the wrap material is gripped with the rotating bale. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the predetermined scheme comprises a predetermined programmable stretch value for the wrap material. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 a detection mechanism configured to determine whether a portion of the wrap material is sufficiently gripped with the rotating bale to tension the wrap material.   
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the detection mechanism is configured to determine a peripheral speed of the rotating bale and a payoff speed of the wrap material. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 21 , further comprising a user interface configured to receive a desired tension value of the wrap material. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein the tensioner apparatus is configured to tension the wrap material in accordance with the desired tension value. 
     
     
         25 . A method of tensioning wrap material on a rotating bale in a baling chamber of a baler, comprising:
 determining whether a wrap material is gripped with a rotating bale of a baler; and   if the wrap material is gripped with the rotating bale, pretensioning the wrap material.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein said determining whether a wrap material gripped with a rotating bale of a baler comprises comparing the relative speed of the periphery of the rotating bale with the speed of payoff of the wrap material. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein said pretensioning the wrap material comprises:
 manipulating the speed of the wrap payoff with respect to the peripheral speed of the bale.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein said manipulating the speed of the wrap payoff with respect to the peripheral speed of the bale comprises slowing the payoff speed. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28  wherein said manipulating the speed of the wrap payoff with respect to the peripheral speed of the bale comprises braking a wrap dispenser. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 25  wherein said pretensioning the wrap material comprises:
 pretensioning the wrap in accordance with a predetermined scheme. 
 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising:
 receiving the predetermined scheme from an operator.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the predetermined scheme comprises a scheme which considers the type crop material being baled. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein pretensioning the wrap in accordance with a predetermined scheme comprises pretensioning the wrap to a desired stretch amount. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein pretensioning the wrap comprises:
 receiving a desired stretch amount; and   tensioning the wrap material to produce the desired stretch amount.   
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , further comprising:
 detecting the stretch of the wrap material.   
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the step of detecting the stretch of the wrap material comprises comparing a peripheral speed of the rotating bale with a payoff speed of the wrap material. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the step of pretensioning the wrap material comprises:
 providing a first tension to the wrap material during initial payoff of the wrap material; and   providing a second tension to the wrap material after the wrap material is gripping by the rotating bale.