US-12616099-B2 - Method for controlling wrapping operations

US12616099B2US 12616099 B2US12616099 B2US 12616099B2US-12616099-B2

Abstract

A method for controlling, through a mobile device, wrapping operations in a wrapper for wrapping a round bale with a film, comprises the following steps, performed by a processor of the mobile device: coupling the mobile device to a control unit of the wrapper, by sending a coupling signal to the control unit; receiving control inputs from a user, through an interaction of the user with the mobile device; elaborating the control inputs and generating, based on the control inputs, a command message; sending the command message to the control unit of the wrapper; receiving, at the processor of the mobile device, operation data from the control unit of the wrapper, the operation data being representative of operations performed by the wrapper.

Inventors

Valerio Casadei
Cosimo FRASCELLA

Assignees

KVERNELAND GROUP RAVENNA S.R.L.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20210329
Priority Date: 20200327

Claims (20)

1 . A method for controlling, through a mobile device, wrapping operations in a wrapping machine, the wrapping machine having a pair of rollers configured to rotate to support and put in rotation a round bale under wrapping and a wrapper satellite connected to a film coil and movable around the round bale to apply the film on the bale to completely wrap the round bale with the film and including a control unit and actuators, the actuators being controlled by the control unit for wrapping the bale with the film, the method comprising the following steps, performed by a processor of the mobile device: coupling the mobile device to a control unit of the wrapper, by sending a coupling signal to the control unit; receiving control inputs from a user, through an interaction of the user with the mobile device; elaborating the control inputs and generating, based on the control inputs, a command message including instructions for instructing the control unit of the wrapping machine to command the actuators; sending the command message to the control unit of the wrapper; receiving, at the processor of the mobile device, operation data from the control unit of the wrapper, the operation data being representative of operations performed by the wrapping machine, wherein the mobile device is wearable by the user; and displaying graphic command elements on a display of the mobile device allowing the user to insert the control input, wherein the graphic command elements include a clickable coupling button, wherein when the operator clicks on the coupling button, the processor sends the coupling signal to the control unit of the wrapping system, and a satellite turns button, wherein the method includes a step of clicking, by the user, on the satellite turns button, to set a desired number of turns that the wrapper satellite should perform around the bale, and wherein the processor sends to the control unit of the wrapper a command message to instruct the control unit to perform a number of turns of the wrapper satellite around the bale equal to the desired number of turns when the satellite turns button is clicked.
2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the operations performed by the wrapper include one or more of the following operations: opening a pair of rollers of the wrapper; closing the pair of rollers of the wrapper; opening a cutting unit of the wrapper; closing the cutting unit of the wrapper; rotating the pair of rollers; rotating the wrapper satellite around the bale to be wrapped; rotating a working table around a first axes, perpendicular to the ground; rotating the working table around a second axis between a working position, wherein the working table arm supports the bale during wrapping operation, and a lowering position, wherein the working table releases the wrapped bale on the ground; rotating a lifting arm around a respective hinge between a loading position, wherein the lifting arm is on the ground to catch the bale, and an unloading position, wherein the lifting arm is raised above the ground, to release the bale on the working table, said one or more operations being performed by respective actuators, which are controlled by the control unit of the wrapper through command signals.
3 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein the command message includes instructions for instructing the control unit of the wrapper to carry out at least one of said operations through the actuators.
4 . The method according to claim 3 , wherein the instructions of the command message are configured for instructing the control unit of the wrapper to carry out autonomously at least one of said operations through the actuators.
5 . The method according to claim 3 , wherein the instructions of the command message are configured for instructing the control unit of the wrapper to carry out autonomously a sequence of operations among said operations.
6 . The method according to claim 3 , wherein the instructions of the command message are configured for instructing the control unit of the wrapper to actuate the wrapper satellite with a desired operational parameter.
7 . The method according claim 6 , wherein the desired operational parameter is a desired rotation speed or a desired turns number of the wrapper satellite, and wherein the instructions of the command message are configured for instructing the control unit of the wrapper to rotate the wrapper satellite at the desired rotation speed or for performing the desired turns number of the wrapper satellite.
8 . The method according to claim 1 , comprising a step of counting, wherein the operation data is representative of the wrapping of a bale and wherein the processor counts the number of wrapped bales in a predetermined interval of time.
9 . The method according to claim 8 , comprising a step of resetting, wherein the processor sets the number of wrapped bales to zero.
10 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to send the command message for instructing the control unit of the wrapper to perform a specific operation on the wrapper as long as the control input, representative of said specific operation, is continuously received by the processor, to perform the specific operation only when the user is actively sending the respective control input.
11 . The method according to claim 1 , comprising a step of displaying, wherein the processor generates graphic data and displays the graphic data in a display of the mobile device to provide the user with: one or more displaying element, representative of the operation data received from the control unit of the wrapper; one or more input button, to allow the user to insert the control input.
12 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein said one or more input button includes: rollers buttons, to set control input representative of an action to be done by the pair of rollers; satellite buttons, to set control input representative of an action to be done by the wrapper satellite; cutting buttons, to set control input representative of an action to be done by the cutting unit of the wrapper; automation buttons, to set control input representative of a command message for instructing the control unit to perform operations autonomously.
13 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the command message is sent through an open Bluetooth connection to a Bluetooth interface, implemented in a CAN Bus of the wrapper control unit.
14 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the command message includes an address and wherein the address is univocally associated to the mobile device.
15 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the mobile device is wearable by the user.
16 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the graphic command elements include a clickable setting button, wherein when the operator clicks on the setting button, the processor of the mobile device displays on the display a first automation button, the first automation button allows to perform a certain operation of the wrapping machine autonomously.
17 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the graphic command elements include a clickable counting button and, when the operator clicks on the counting button, the processor displays on the display a first label and/or a second label wherein the first label displays the number of wrapped bales in a first interval of time, and the second label displays the number of wrapped bales in a second interval of time, greater than the first interval of time.
18 . The method according to claim 17 , wherein the graphic command elements include a clickable counting reset button, wherein, when the operator clicks on the counting reset button, the first label is set to zero.
19 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the graphic command elements include a clickable operations button, wherein, when the operator clicks on the operations button, the processor displays one or more control buttons.
20 . The method according to claim 19 , wherein the graphic command elements include a clickable cutting closing button, wherein, when a user clicks on the cutting closing button, the processor sends to the control unit of the wrapper a command message to instruct the control unit to perform the closing of a cutting unit of the wrapping system.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD This invention relates to a method for controlling wrapping operations in a wrapper for wrapping round bale. This invention also relates to a wrapping system for wrapping round bale. BACKGROUND ART A wrapping machine is an agricultural machine configured to apply a film around a bale, in order to protect it from external contamination and to avoid the disintegration of the formed bale. Known solutions of wrapping machine disclose the presence of a frame and a pair of rollers, which are rotatably connected to the frame. The pair of rollers are movable closer to each other towards the bale, to cause a lift of the bale form the ground. Once the bale is up and supported by the pair of rollers, the rollers are put in rotation and the friction with the bale cause the movement of the bale too. The wrapper also includes a satellite, moving around the bale during the wrapping operation. The satellite holds a film coil, which is unwound while the film is applied to an external surface of the bale. Moreover, the wrapper includes a cutting unit, which is configured to cut the film and to hold the end of the film coil when the wrapping operation is finished. All these solutions provide a control unit, configured to control the abovementioned operations on the wrapper. The wrapping machine includes a user interface, through which the operator can insert control input, to command the wrapping operations. However, in some cases, it could be useful to use different wrapping machine in the same field to speed up the operation. Using these solutions, the operator has to be on the wrapping machine to control the machine through the user interface. In other words, these solutions require the operator to be always aside the machine. In the technical field regarding the implements for tractor is known to use mobile device, remotely connected to the control unit of the implements in order to send command messages to the control unit, for instructing it to actuate certain operation of the implements. Examples of these solutions are disclosed in the following documents: US2019223379A1, US2018314230A1, US2017228145A1, U.S. Ser. No. 10/234,837B2, U.S. Pat. No. 9,906,967B2 e U.S. Pat. No. 9,165,127B2. However, none of these documents disclosed or suggest how to solve the abovementioned technical problem with regards to the specific field of wrappers, which has his own particularity and necessities. Also, other documents disclose solutions wherein a mobile device, remotely connected to the control unit of the implements, sends command messages to the control unit, for instructing it to actuate certain operations of the implements. In particular, WO2011012955A1 regards a baler towed by a tractor and provided with a wrapper assembly. WO2011012955A1 discloses that the tractor includes a control console, which permits to control various functions of the baler, including the wrapper assembly. WO2011012955A1 further says that the console can operate in manual mode or automatic mode. DE102014211712A1 regards an agricultural implement towed by a tractor and faces the problem of improving the control system arranged on the tractor, to allow the farmer to control the implement while he is physically positioned close to the implement, thus avoiding that he must go back and forth between the tractor console and the implement. As a solution to this problem, DE102014211712A1 suggests providing the control console with a mobile device, such as a tablet. EP0792577A2 regards a wrapping machine, and substantially discloses those features which are typically present on a machine dedicated to wrapping bales, as opposed to a baler which is additionally provided with a wrapping facility. However, these solutions have the drawback of not being versatile and of not allowing a reliable responsive control. DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION Scope of the present invention is to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks. This scope is achieved by the method for controlling wrapping operations and by the wrapping system that overcome at least one of the aforementioned drawbacks. This scope is achieved by the method for controlling wrapping operations and by the wrapping system according to the appended claims. According to an aspect of the present disclosure, the description provides a method for controlling, through a mobile device, wrapping operations in a wrapper for wrapping a round bale with a film. Please observe that, in some embodiments, the method may be used to wrap also other type of bale, such as square bales. The method is performed by a processor of the mobile device. Preferably, the device is wearable by the user. For example, the mobile device is a tablet or smart phone. The mobile device is a device that can be transported, moved from one place to another by the user. Therefore, the mobile device is not a remote device, because it must be able to be moved and preferably worn by the person who uses the machine (for example, the person who drive