Abstract:
A rotobaler is provided with an inclination sensor that recognizes an inclination to the side as well as in the longitudinal direction. This inclination sensor generates a signal coupled to a computer that, in turn, controls a display arrangement in order to indicate whether a base that is to be unloaded from the rotobaler can be safely unloaded considering the existing inclination of the rotobaler. In the event an unsafe inclination is present, either the computer sends out a control signal which blocks an operation for depositing the bale on the ground, or causes the bale to be oriented in such a way during the discharge process that the longitudinal centerline of the bale is parallel to the inclination of the slope.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention concerns a control arrangement of a vehicle that deposits cylindrical bales on the ground, with an inclination sensor, that generates a signal from the inclination of the vehicle, as well as a rotobaler or a bale wrapping arrangement. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   DE 199 10 555A1 discloses a rotobaler with a discharge arrangement configured as a scale for a cylindrical bale. An inclination sensor is associated with this discharge arrangement, it corrects the results of the weighing that may have been in error due to the inclination. 
   EP 1 512 320 A2 reveals a rotobaler that deposits a cylindrical bale on the ground, where the exit of the cylindrical bale is limited by a double-wing door and its position is corrected, if necessary so that it cannot roll down any slope. 
   The problem underlying the invention is seen in the fact that the deposit of a cylindrical bale on a slope is, as ever, a serious matter, and that problems can be avoided only with highly trained operators, or that a bale lying on the ground must be slid into the correct position and can be damaged by such sliding. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   According to the present invention there is provided a control arrangement for controlling the deposit of a bale onto the ground in accordance with a sensed inclinations of the ground. 
   In this way the bale is deposited in such a way that its axis of rotation or its longitudinal centerline directly follows the inclination of the slope. In contrast to the state of the art, a bale weighing up to a ton need not be turned on the ground, which is possible only with difficult anyway with a relatively light baler. Since the bale is not slid along the ground, its possible wrapping (foil, net) is not damaged. It is also not possible that the bale rolls down a slope into the back side of the baler, before its position is corrected. The inclination sensor is preferably configured in such a say that it can detect the inclination of the slope in the direction of operation as well as transverse thereto; it may be configured mechanically, hydraulically or electrically, for example as a mercury level. Obviously, several simple inclination sensors, each operating in only one direction, could be provided that generate a signal together. The inclination sensor can be equipped with a damping device that avoids undesirable excursions due to uneven ground. The inclination of the vehicle or of the ground on which it stands, can also be determined by means of G.P.S., so that the inclination sensor consists of little more than a receiver that receives the G.P.S. data and conveys these to the computer. The signal can be used in a multitude of ways, beginning with a simple acoustic guidance up to a fully automatic steering of the vehicle into a safe position on the slope. The vehicle may be self-propelled or it may be a towed vehicle, for example, a baler a bale wrapping arrangement of the like. 
   The use of an acoustic or visual indicator arrangement, comparable to a parking assistance device, can provide an operator with sufficient assistance, for example, for the orientation of the vehicle on the slope. But it can also transmit a warning signal from which the operator can recognize that he is not permitted to unload a bale and cannot do so as long as the warning signal continues. Several levels of alarms can be called for that, for example, depend on the presence of risks in the vicinity of the deposit site such as a road. The display arrangement may include pointers, and indicator light and the like, or a monitor. 
   A semi-automatic or a fully automatic deposit of the bale into a safe position is made possible if the vehicle itself and/or the discharge arrangement attached to it can be repositioned by means of actuating arrangements. The position required at any given time, for example, the angle between a rotobaler and a bale wrapping arrangement or between a towing vehicle and the rotobaler can be varied in such a way that finally the bale can be deposited safely. By the same token, a discharge arrangement can also be oriented in such a way that either the rotational axis of the bale follows the inclination of the slope or the bale is deposited on the ground, on its end face. The computer may be an on-board computer on the towing vehicle or on the vehicle itself. The actuating arrangement is configured as an electric motor or a hydraulic motor, preferably operating as a linear motor. 
   An orientation of the bale in such a way that it can either be deposited on its end face or that its axis rotation follows the inclination of the slope, can be attained in such a way that a carrier is provided on the discharge arrangement that can be pivoted in various directions. Corresponding pivoting axes can be provided by articulated shafts, ball joints, universal joints or the like. However, more that two axes can be provided, so that the carrier can be brought into any desired position. The carrier may be a trough, a basket, a plate, pliers or the like that carries the bale in such a way that it does not fall down or tall out during its positioning. 
   If the carrier is configured with a concave surface, the cylindrical bale is supported safely. The depth of the trough is a function of the inclination of the slopes to be expected, the size of the bale, the speed and the method of handling it. 
   While the bale could fundamentally fail out of the baler that forms the vehicle and fall directly onto the ground, such a resulting force, that is particularly detrimental on a slope, is avoided in that the bale is caught and deposited on the ground in a controlled manner. Since this movement is normally executed as a pivoting movement instead of a parallelogram movement, that axis is provided with an inclination to the ground, it is located between a horizontal pivoting arm and a vertical pivoting arm in a raised position of the vertical pivoting arm, the inclination extends approximately vertically in a condition close to the ground. The vertical pivot arm itself is a moved about an axis preferably extending transverse to the direction of operation and normally in the plane of the inclination of the slope. However, the horizontal pivot arm could be rotated or pivoted about an axis extending in the direction of operation, so that the bale can be deposited on its end face. 
   Position sensors, each of which recognizes or detects the relative movement or the relative position between components associated with one axis, for example, the carrier and the horizontal pivot arm, can be provided in the form of a stepper motor, as well as a potentiometer, reed switches, so-called active hydraulic cylinders and the like. Non-contacting position sensors could also be used, the only thing that is significant is the fact that the position of the adjustable components must be recognizable and can be set in relation to the inclination as detected. Although preferrably such a position sensor could be provided on each axles but the corresponding information could also be attained with possibly only one non-contacting sensor that detects all components considered here. 
   In addition, the safety during the unloading of a bale is enhanced if an outlet arrangement that must be actuated for the unloading of the bale cannot be activated as long as the control arrangement recognizes a situation that is fraught with risk; in addition to a warning signal, an associated actuating arrangement can be locked or can be deactivated. 
   In addition to the safe deposit of the bale, the control arrangement can also be used to correct a value for the weight of the bale as a function of the inclination. 
   Rotobalers and bale wrapping arrangements are frequently applied on slopes with inclinations, in order to increase their output and in order to possibly apply them as non-stop implements, for this purpose a control arrangement is applied that is described above. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The drawing shows an embodiment of the invention that shall be described in greater detail in the following. 
       FIG. 1  shows a schematic side view of a vehicle with a control arrangement and a discharge arrangement. 
       FIG. 2  shows a side view of the discharge arrangement of  FIG. 1  in a raised position. 
       FIG. 3  shows a side view of the discharge arrangement of  FIG. 1  in a lowered position. 
       FIG. 4  shows a plan view of the discharge arrangement of  FIG. 1  in a central position. 
       FIG. 5  shows a plan view of the discharge arrangement of  FIG. 1  in a position pivoted to the right. 
       FIG. 6  shows a plan view of the discharge arrangement of  FIG. 1  in a position pivoted to the left. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   A vehicle  10 , shown in  FIG. 1 , is shown there as a rotobaler that can be attached to a towing vehicle, not shown, it is provided with a control arrangement  12  and forms a cylindrical bale  14  that can be deposited on the ground by means of a discharge arrangement  16 . 
   Aside from a multitude of components of no significance to the invention, the vehicle  10  is provided with a frame  18 , a chassis  20 , a towbar  22  and the outlet arrangement  66 . 
   The frame  18  rests on the chassis  20 , carries the towbar  22  at its front and the discharge arrangement  16  towards the rear. 
   The chassis  20  is supported on wheels  24  on the ground and follows an inclination extending transverse to the direction of operation and thereby the stands more or less steeply on the slope. The wheels  24  or the chassis  20  as a whole could be attached relative to the frame  18  so that it can be steered. 
   The outlet arrangement  66  is configured as a so-called gate, outlet flap or the like and can be brought into a raised positioned in which bale  14 , completed in the vehicle, can leave the vehicle  10 . For this purpose an actuating arrangement  68  is provided that can be activated hydraulically. 
   The control arrangement  12  includes, among other items, an inclination sensor  26 , a computer  28 , three position sensors  30 ,  32 ,  34 , a display arrangement  36  and three actuating arrangements  38 ,  40 ,  42 , that are connected to each other in a wireless manner or by lines. The purpose of the control arrangement  12  is to recognize in what special relationship the vehicle  10  is on a slope in order to steer the discharge arrangement  16  in such a way that the bale  14  is deposited so that it is prevented from rolling down a slope. 
   The inclination sensor  26  may be configured, for example, as a mercury level and recognizes in what direction the vehicle  10  is inclined relative to an absolute position. The inclination sensor  26  generates a signal, preferably an electronic signal, from which it can be recognized whether the vehicle  10  is inclined in the transverse and/or longitudinal direction and to what degree. A damping device, not shown, will provide the assurance that changes in position due to uneven ground and not significant to the output. The inclination of the slope could also be derived from other factors, for example, from forces on the towbar  22 , from side forces on the wheels  24 , particularly in the case of a tandem axle etc. 
   The computer  28  is configured as an on-board computer on the towing vehicle or is attached as a calculator  28  to the vehicle  10  itself. CAN-bus technology can be used for the transmission of the signal. The signal of the inclination sensor  26  is processed in the control arrangement  12  that is, for example, amplified, linked to other signals, and an output signal generated from these, for example, for a display on the display arrangement  36  or an acoustic alarm. A different output signal is generated for the change in position of the actuating arrangements  38  through  42  from which, for example, electro-hydraulic valves, not shown, are controlled. The computer  28  can be provided with an input arrangement, for example, a keyboard, a touch screen, a voice control or the like, so that an operator can end or activate and affect the signal processing. The signal generated by the computer  28  is configured in such a wavy that the actuating arrangements  38  through  42  deposit the bale  14  in such a position that prevents it from rolling down the slope. The computer  28  can also be connected with a weighing arrangement  64  in order to correct its signal so as to eliminate effects due to the inclination of the slope. 
   The position sensors  30  through  34  are used to determine the value of the repositioning achieved by the associated actuating arrangements  38  through  42  and to report back to the computer  28  in the case of any regulation. The position sensors  30  through  34  nay be configured alike or differently, for example, as potentiometer, as reed switches etc.; each of these operate in one plane and thereby recognize the elative position of the components repositioned by the corresponding actuating arrangements  38  through  42 . The position sensor  30  detects the position of the bale  14  above the ground and the position sensor  32  detects the position of the bale  14  relative to a longitudinal center plane of the vehicle  10 . 
   The display arrangement  36  may be a simple pointer, a true picture with an indicator of a critical or a non-critical position of the vehicle  10  or of the discharge arrangement  16 , a graphical display, that provides steering advice etc.; it is preferably located on the towing vehicle and is connected with the computer  28 . 
   The actuating arrangements  38  through  42  are configured as hydraulic motors or as electric motors and are repositioned by external forces in one or in both directions, depending on requirements. The actuating arrangements  38  through  42  can also be provided internally with position sensors  30  through  34  as so-called active cylinders. 
   The bale  14  is cylindrical and includes an end face  44  and a circumferential surface  46 ; the diameter may amount to as much as 1.8 to 2 meters. Immediately after leaving the vehicle  100  the bale  14  can be deposited on the ground or directly delivered to a foil wrapping arrangement where it is wrapped for formation into silage. 
   The discharge arrangement  16  is used to accept the bale  14  from the vehicle  10  and to deposit it on the ground where the deposit is controlled by the actuating arrangements  38  through  42  in such a way that the bale cannot roll away. The discharge arrangement  16  can be attached directly to the vehicle  10  or it may be part of a train that can be towed behind the vehicle  10  and steered relative to the latter. Among other items, the discharge arrangement  16  includes a vertical pivot arm  48 , a horizontally pivot arm  50  and a carrier  52 . The vertical pivot  48  is connected in joints so as to pivot about an axis  54  on the frame  18 , the horizontal pivot arm  50  is connected in joints so as to pivot about an axis  56  on the vertical pivot arm  48  and the carrier  52  is connected in joints so as to pivot about an axis  58  on the horizontal pivot arm  50 . 
   The vertical pivot arm  48  extends generally across the width of the vehicle  10 , is configured in part in a U-shape and is connected to both sides of the vehicle  10  so as to pivot vertically. It is located underneath a discharge opening of the vehicle  10  in such a way that the carrier  52  can accept the bale  14 . One or more lever arms  60  are provided in a forward region, they engage one or more actuating arrangements  38  whose other ends are supported on the frame  18 . The vertical pivot arm  48  is provided with a support arm  62  in the rear region, the axis  56  is located in the tree end region of the support arm. The support arm extends in the longitudinal center region of the vehicle  10 . Normally the axis  54  extends horizontally and transverse to the longitudinal center plane of the vehicle  10 . This axis is configured in the form of journals, a shaft or the like. The position sensor  30  is located in the region of the axis  54 , it can determine the relative position between the vertical pivot arm  48  and the frame  18  thereby its position relative to the ground, it can be attached to the frame  18  as well as to the vertical pivot arm  48 . 
   In its forward region, the horizontal pivot arm  50  is provided with the axis  56  in its rear region with the axis  58 , which extend at an angle of 90° to each other and are also configured in the form of shafts, journals etc. The horizontal pivot arm  50  can be pivoted through an angle of 90° to each side relative to the longitudinal center plane of the vehicle  10  it is rotated by means of the actuating arrangement  40  or by a rack and gear connection. The horizontal pivot arm  50  is considerably shorter than the vertical pivot arm  48 . The axis  56  is configured in such a way that it extends generally perpendicular to the ground when the vertical pivot arm  48  is in the lowered condition that is, it extends at an inclination to the vertical when the vertical pivot arm  48  is in the raised position. The position sensor  32  is located in the vicinity of the axis  56  and recognizes the relative position between the vertical pivot arm  48  and the horizontal pivot arm  50 . 
   The carrier  52  is configured as a trough and is shaped in such a way that it can retain a bale  14  with its circumferential surface  46  in a secure position and hold it during the movement to the ground. The carrier  52  can pivot in the vertical direction about the axis  58 , where the axis  58  may be configured in the same manner as the other axes  54 ,  56 . In a neutral position, as it is shown in  FIGS. 2 and 4 , the axis  58  extends in the horizontal direction and transverse to the direction of the operation of the vehicle  10 . The position sensor  34  is provided in the vicinity of the axis  58  and thereby recognizes the position of the carrier  52  relative to the horizontal pivot arm  50 . The actuating arrangement  42  operates between the carrier  52  and the horizontal pivot arm  50  and operates in the same manner as the other actuating arrangements  38  through  42 , controlled by the computer  28  either electrically or electro-hydraulically. The position sensor  34  together with the inclination sensor  26 , the computer  28  and the actuating arrangement  42  are in a position that is capable of retaining the carrier  52  in a horizontal position at all times, that is even if the vehicle  10  operates down a slope or up a slope; accordingly it cannot happen that the bale  14  rolls down from the carrier  52 . As can be seen in  FIG. 2 , the carrier  52  is extended towards the rear so that on the one hand it provides a gentle deposit of the bale  14  on the ground and, on the other hand, the bale  14  cannot roil down form the carrier  52  during operation up a slope. 
   Obviously, lines current sources etc. are provided in the control arrangement  12  that, however, are neither shown nor described since they occur automatically, 
   According to the above description, the arrangement operates as follows. 
   During operation, the inclination sensor  26  generates a signal that it transmits to the computer  28  and from which the latter recognizes in which position the vehicle  10  is located relative to a line directed at the center of the earth. For example, the vehicle  10  is inclined to the side, if an axis of rotation through the wheels  24  of the chassis  20  follows the inclination of a slope or is tilted to the front or to the rear, when the vehicle  10  is operated up or down a slope. Obviously, the vehicle  10  car also be inclined in both directions. With each inclination, the danger exists that a bale  14  located on the carrier rolls down from it or rolls down the slope after itws deposit on the ground. 
   The computer  28  generates a signal that:
         a) generates a display on the display arrangement  36     b) operates on the actuating arrangement  68  and/for   c) operates upon one or more of the actuating arrangements  38  through  42 .       

   In case of an inclination on the display arrangement  36  either only a warning notice is issued or a reposition of the vehicle  10  is demanded into a position that lies outside the critical area for the deposit of the bale  14 . 
   If the computer  28  is to prevent only one unlading of the bale  14  from the vehicle  10 , an activation of the actuating arrangement  68  is prevented. 
   In the case that a semi-automatic or fully automatic control or regulation of one or move of the actuating arrangements  38  through  42  is to take place, in such a way that the bale  14  is safely accepted by the vehicle  10  and lowered to the ground, so that it comes to rest in such a way that it does not roll away, the following takes place: 
   The actuating arrangement  38  through  42 , particularly the actuating arrangement  40  is activated in such a way that the longitudinal centerline of the bale  14  comes to lie parallel to the inclination of the slope. In this way, no rolling torque is developed in the direction down the slope. Depending on the position in which the vehicle  10  is located on the slope a pivot arc of the horizontal pivot arm  50  may not be adequate for 90° in one direction to deposit the bale  14  safely on the ground; in its case the horizontal pivot arm  50  must be pivoted in the other direction. 
   Having described the preferred embodiment, it will become apparent that various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the accompanying claims.