Load sensing pin for an agricultural implement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10548254-B2
Application number	US-201615155429-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 16, 2016
Priority date	Jan 8, 2007
Publication date	Feb 4, 2020
Grant date	Feb 4, 2020

Abstract

A load sensing pin disposed to receive a load applied in a direction substantially transverse to a longitudinal axis of the pin. A load sensor is substantially fixedly oriented with respect to the applied load or alternatively with respect to the pin which is rotationally restrained with respect to a support structure. The load sensor is disposed to generate a load signal corresponding to strain of the pin resulting from the applied load.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An agricultural implement, comprising:
a row unit operably supported above a soil surface of a field, said row unit having a furrow opening assembly for opening a furrow in the soil surface as said row unit traverses the field, said row unit further having a subframe;
a depth adjusting mechanism applying a load on said subframe and capable of modifying a depth of the furrow opened by said furrow opening assembly, said depth adjusting mechanism having an adjusting arm and a rocker; and
a load sensor substantially fixedly oriented with respect to said depth adjusting mechanism and disposed to generate a load signal corresponding to said applied load;
processing circuitry in communication with said load sensor, said processing circuitry generating load values corresponding to said load signals; and
a restraint which substantially fixedly orients said load sensor with respect to said depth adjusting mechanism.

2. The agricultural implement of claim 1 , wherein said furrow opening assembly comprises:
an opening disk blade disposed to open said furrow; and
a gauge wheel disposed to rollingly contact the soil surface, said gauge wheel limiting said depth of said furrow, wherein said applied load increases as a force between said gauge wheel and said soil surface increases.

3. The agricultural implement of claim 1 , wherein a correlation of said load signal to known loads is programmed into a microcontroller of said processing circuitry.

4. The agricultural implement of claim 3 , wherein said processing circuitry is configured to automatically regulate downforce as the agricultural implement traverses a field.

5. An agricultural implement, comprising:
a row unit operably supported above a soil surface of a field, said row unit having a furrow opening assembly for opening a furrow in the soil surface as said row unit traverses the field, said row unit further having a subframe;
a depth adjusting mechanism applying a load on said subframe and capable of modifying a depth of the furrow opened by said furrow opening assembly, said depth adjusting mechanism having an adjusting arm and a rocker; and
a load sensor substantially fixedly oriented with respect to said depth adjusting mechanism and disposed to generate a load signal corresponding to said applied load;
processing circuitry in communication with said load sensor, said processing circuitry generating load values corresponding to said load signals; and
wherein said load sensor is substantially rotationally restrained in relation to said depth adjusting mechanism.

6. The agricultural implement of claim 5 , wherein said furrow opening assembly comprises:
an opening disk blade disposed to open said furrow; and
a gauge wheel disposed to rollingly contact the soil surface, said gauge wheel limiting said depth of said furrow, wherein said applied load increases as a force between said gauge wheel and said soil surface increases.

7. The agricultural implement of claim 5 , wherein a correlation of said load signal to known loads is programmed into a microcontroller of said processing circuitry.

8. The agricultural implement of claim 7 , wherein said processing circuitry is configured to automatically regulate downforce as the agricultural implement traverses a field.

9. An agricultural implement, comprising:
a row unit operably supported above a soil surface of a field, said row unit having a furrow opening assembly for opening a furrow in the soil surface as said row unit traverses the field, said row unit further having a subframe;
a depth adjusting mechanism applying a load on said subframe and capable of modifying a depth of the furrow opened by said furrow opening assembly, said depth adjusting mechanism having an adjusting arm and a rocker; and
a load sensor substantially fixedly oriented with respect to said depth adjusting mechanism and disposed to generate a load signal corresponding to said applied load;
processing circuitry in communication with said load sensor, said processing circuitry generating load values corresponding to said load signals; and
a restraint which substantially rotationally restrains said load sensor with respect to said depth adjusting mechanism.

10. The agricultural implement of claim 9 wherein said furrow opening assembly comprises:
an opening disk blade disposed to open said furrow; and
a gauge wheel disposed to rollingly contact the soil surface, said gauge wheel limiting said depth of said furrow, wherein said applied load increases as a force between said gauge wheel and said soil surface increases.

11. The agricultural implement of claim 9 , wherein a correlation of said load signal to known loads is programmed into a microcontroller of said processing circuitry.

12. The agricultural implement of claim 11 , wherein said processing circuitry is configured to automatically regulate downforce as the agricultural implement traverses a field.

13. An agricultural implement, comprising:
a row unit operably supported above a soil surface of a field, said row unit having a furrow opening assembly for opening a furrow in the soil surface as said row unit traverses the field, said row unit further having a subframe;
a depth adjusting mechanism applying a load on said subframe and capable of modifying a depth of the furrow opened by said furrow opening assembly, said depth adjusting mechanism having an adjusting arm and a rocker; and
a load sensor substantially fixedly oriented with respect to said depth adjusting mechanism and disposed to generate a load signal corresponding to said applied load;
processing circuitry in communication with said load sensor, said processing circuitry generating load values corresponding to said load signals; and
wherein said depth adjusting mechanism is pivotally joined to said subframe by a pin, said applied load transferred between said depth adjusting mechanism to said subframe by said pin.

14. The agricultural implement of claim 13 , further comprising:
an opening disk blade disposed to open said furrow; and
a gauge wheel disposed to rollingly contact a soil surface, said gauge wheel limiting said depth of said furrow, wherein said load increases as a force between said gauge wheel and said soil surface increases, and
wherein pivotal adjustment of said depth adjusting mechanism about said pin modifies a maximum height of said gauge wheel relative to said opening disk blade.

Assignees

• Prec Planting Llc

Inventors

• Sauder Gregg A
• Sauder Derek A
• Koch Justin

Classifications

• A01C7/08

  Broadcast seeders; Seeders depositing seeds in rows · CPC title

• G01L1/2218

  the supports being of the column type, e.g. cylindric, adapted for measuring a force along a single direction · CPC title

• G05B19/402

  characterised by control arrangements for positioning, e.g. centring a tool relative to a hole in the workpiece, additional detection means to correct position (G05B19/19 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01L5/136

  Force sensors associated with a vehicle traction coupling (vehicle connections B60D; control of vehicle brakes B60T) · CPC title

• G05B2219/45017

  Agriculture machine, tractor · CPC title