DESCRIPTION

Technical field

The present invention relates to a round baler net wrap. The net is used in round baler machines to collect and compress agricultural products such as fodder and straw. Background art

Wide-mesh nets for round balers are known in the state of the art. A net of known type comprises a plurality of first chains, parallel to each other. Each first chain consists of a plurality of meshes woven and oriented in the winding direction of the net. Furthermore, the net comprises second threads, connected to the first chains at a braiding point. The nets of the prior art comprise between two and six knots between two consecutive braiding points.

In the nets of the prior art, the distance between two consecutive first chains is 5.08 cm (2”). Furthermore, the number of knots per metre of net length is greater than 33.

The nets of the prior art can have different widths, the most common are 123 cm (48”) wide and comprise twenty-five first chains. The first chains of the nets of the prior art are obtained by simultaneously weaving two threads of plastic material, usually HDPE.

US 2018/340277 Al discloses a net comprising a plurality of warp threads and weft threads connected to the warp threads so as to form a zigzag pattern. The warp threads are spaced from each other for example by a distance of 50.8 mm.

AU 2012203 681 Al and US 2020/385902 Al disclose a net comprising warp threads and zigzag connecting threads. EP 2 630 137 discloses a mixture of HDPE and PP comprising additives and stabilizers.

WO2021166276A1 discloses a resin composition with a stretch coefficient of 8:1.

Object of the Invention

Disadvantageously, the round baler nets of the prior art can have problems concerning material recycling. In fact, after use, the net has a high component of contaminants, for example soil and residues of previously contained fodder, which remain trapped in the meshes of the net. These pollutants, especially the organic ones, are difficult to eliminate during the mechanical recycling process of the net, making it difficult to obtain a recycled material of sufficient quality.

In this context, the technical task underlying the present invention is to propose a round baler net wrap which overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art mentioned above.

In particular, it is an object of the present invention to provide a round baler net wrap capable of decreasing the content of contaminants trapped in the net and facilitating the cleaning operations of the net itself from the residues described above.

The mentioned technical task and the specified aims are substantially achieved by a round baler net wrap, comprising the technical specifications set out in one or more of the appended claims.

Advantages of the invention

Such a round baler net wrap solves the technical problem in that, for the same width, it comprises fewer first chains. Furthermore, such a net for balers comprises a lower number of knots per metre with respect to the nets of the known art. Thereby, the amount of fodder retained by the net is reduced, reducing the contaminants to be eliminated during the recycling step.

Advantageously, the present invention reduces the amount of fodder lost during net removal during the step of feeding livestock, increasing the yield of the fodder stored in bales.

Still advantageously, using fewer chains to produce the round baler net wrap results in increased efficiency during production.

Still advantageously, the present invention provides more resistant nets since it has fewer knots per metre, which are the points of greatest fragility of the net. Brief Description of the Figures

For a better understanding of the following detailed description, some embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

- figure 1 shows a schematic top view of a round baler net wrap,

- figure 2 shows a section of a detail of the round baler net wrap of Figure 1, - figure 3 shows a schematic top view of a preferred embodiment of a round baler net wrap.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With reference to the mentioned figures, the number 1 generally indicates a round baler net wrap in accordance with the present invention.

The net 1 comprises a plurality of chains. In particular, the net 1 comprises a plurality of first chains 2 and second threads 3.

It should be noted that the first chains 2 extend along a longitudinal direction X-X. Each first chain 2 is spaced from the adjacent first chain 2 by at least 5.08 centimetres. In more detail, each first chain 2 is spaced from the adjacent first chain 2 by 7.69 centimetres.

Each first chain 2 comprises one or more knitted threads. The knitted threads form a plurality of meshes 13. Two consecutive meshes 13 are joined respectively at a knot 14. The net 1 comprises a number of knots 14 per metre lower than 33. In the preferred embodiment, the number of knots 14 per metre is equal to 23. Advantageously, the net 1 is stronger because it has fewer knots 14 which represent the points of weakness of each first chain 2.

Each of the second threads 3 is arranged between two first chains 2. Furthermore, each second thread 3 is configured to connect two adjacent first chains 2. It should be noted that each second thread 3 is defined by a plurality of segments 4 and that each segment 4 connects two adjacent first chains 2.

In greater detail, each segment 4 comprises a first 11 and a second end 12 and each end 11, 12 is connected to the respective first chain 2 of the two adjacent first chains 2. Preferably, each first 11 and second end 12 is connected to the respective first chain 2 by braiding. That is, each of the first 11 and second ends 12 of each segment 4 is connected to the respective first chain 2 at a braiding point 15. In an embodiment, at least one knot 14 is present between two consecutive braiding points 15, along a first chain 2. In the preferred embodiment, there is only one knot 14 between two consecutive braiding points 15.

That is, with particular reference to figure 3, in the preferred embodiment, between two braiding points 15 of a single first chain 2 there are two consecutive meshes 13, connected by a knot 14.

It should be noted that said knot 14 comprised between the two braiding points 15 of a first chain 2 is also a braiding point 15, since at such a knot 14 it is connected to two further segments 4 at the first 11 or second ends 12.

It should be noted that each segment 4 is configured to form a connection angle a with a first chain 2 comprised between 55° and 65°, preferably equal to 60°.

It should be noted that two consecutive segments 4 form an equilateral triangle with a respective first chain 2.

In greater detail, the net 1 comprises a first 8 and a second edge 9, which extend along the longitudinal direction X-X. It should be noted that the first 8 and the second edge 9 are defined by a first chain 2. Furthermore, the first 8 and the second 9 edge are spaced along a transverse direction Y-Y, perpendicular to the longitudinal direction X- X, by a distance comprised between 90 and 170 centimetres. In the preferred embodiment, the distance between the first 8 and the second edge 9 is 123 centimetres.

Preferably, the net 1 is wound on a support, not shown in the figure, which has a main extension direction. In use, the main extension direction of the support is arranged parallel to the transverse direction Y-Y of the net.

In greater detail, the net comprises a number of first chains 2, along the longitudinal direction Y-Y, less than 25. It should be noted that, in the preferred embodiment, the net 1 comprises a number of first chains 2 along the longitudinal direction Y-Y equal to 17.

In a preferred embodiment, each first chain 2 is defined by a single first thread. Optionally, in the preferred embodiment, the first threads of the first chain 2 and the second threads 3 are equal.

In an alternative embodiment, the first chains 2 are defined by two first threads.

Each first and second thread is made from a mixture of high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene (PP), additives and stabilizers. Preferably, the high-density polyethylene is polyethylene for textile applications. Preferably, the amount of additives and stabilizers is chosen as a function of the geographical area in which the net 1 will be employed. It should be noted that the mixture for the first and second threads is made so as to obtain a degree of toughness and resistance to UV rays of the threads so that the net 1 for balers is capable of maintaining the compactness of the fodder preferably for at least one year.

In the preferred embodiment, each first and second thread 3 has a rectangular section 6 with a base dimension 7 and a height dimension 5. The section 6 of the first thread has a ratio between the base dimension 7 and the height dimension 5 comprised between 22:1 and 37:1. The section 6 of the second thread 3 has a ratio between the base dimension 7 and the height dimension 5 comprised between 45:1 and 76:1. In the preferred embodiment, the section 6 of the first thread is equal to 28.60:1, while the section 6 of the second thread is equal to 60.60:1.

In preferred embodiment, each first thread has a stretch coefficient comprised between 6:1 and 9:1. In the preferred embodiment, each second thread 3 has a stretch coefficient comprised between 6:1 and 8.5:1. In the context of the present disclosure, "stretch coefficient" means the ratio of a length of the thread after stretching and a length of the thread before stretching.

It should be noted that, by changing the ratio between the first base dimension

7 and the first height dimension 5 of the first rectangular section 6 and the mixture of each first thread, it is possible to further reduce the number of the first chains 2 along the transverse direction Y-Y. That is, by modifying the thread count and the mixture of each first thread it is possible to reduce the number of first chains 2 along the transverse direction Y-Y.