Down pressure adjustment device and method for use with a disc opener assembly of an agricultural implement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10667461-B2
Application number	US-201916508613-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 11, 2019
Priority date	Jun 22, 2010
Publication date	Jun 2, 2020
Grant date	Jun 2, 2020

Abstract

A disc opener unit for an agricultural implement has a down pressure adjustment device that automatically adjusts the amount of down pressure applied on a furrowing disc based on strain measurements taken by a strain gauge or load cell. The strain gauge, which may be mounted to an arm that is used to set the position of a depth setting gauge wheel, provides feedback to a processor that in turn controls the amount of hydraulic fluid in a hydraulic cylinder to adjust the down force applied on the disc. The amount of down pressure is therefore adjusted in substantially real-time in response to changes in field conditions, which improves furrow depth consistency and reduces wear on the gauge wheel and its components.

First claim

We claim:

1. A down pressure control system for an agricultural implement, the down pressure control system comprising:
a disc opener unit including a disc configured to cut a trench into the ground and a gauge wheel assembly configured to set a penetration depth of the disc, the gauge wheel assembly comprising a gauge wheel and a depth control arm coupled to the gauge wheel via a crankshaft extending through the disc, the depth control arm including a first end coupled to the crankshaft and a second end opposite the first end, the depth control arm configured to engage a depth adjustment member of the disc opener unit adjacent to the second end of the depth control arm;
a load sensor installed on the depth control arm, the load sensor being configured to provide an indication of a load applied through the gauge wheel assembly; and
a controller configured to monitor the load based on data received from the load sensor, the controller being further configured to adjust an operation of a cylinder operatively coupled to the disc opener unit based on the monitored load to maintain a desired down pressure on the disc opener unit.

2. The down pressure control system of claim 1 , wherein the load sensor is installed on the depth control arm at a location between the first and second ends of the depth control arm.

3. The down pressure control system of claim 1 , wherein the load sensor is configured to provide the indication of the load by detecting the load transmitted through the depth control arm, the detected load being indicative of an actual down pressure being applied on the disc opener unit.

4. The down pressure control system of claim 3 , wherein the controller is configured to control the operation of the cylinder such that the monitored load is maintained within a given range of load values associated with maintaining the actual down pressure equal or substantially equal to the desired down pressure.

5. The down pressure control system of claim 1 , wherein the depth adjustment member comprises a plurality depth setting positions, the depth control arm configured to be selectively engaged with the depth adjustment member at one of the plurality of depth setting positions to set the penetration depth of the disc.

6. The down pressure control system of claim 5 , wherein the depth control arm further comprises a handle positioned adjacent to the second end of the depth control arm, the handle being operable to allow the depth control arm to be selectively engaged with the depth adjustment member at one of the plurality of depth setting positions.

7. The down pressure control system of claim 1 , wherein the load sensor comprises a strain gauge or a load cell.

8. The down pressure control system of claim 1 , wherein the crankshaft extends through the disc such that the depth control arm is positioned on a first side of the disc and the gauge wheel is positioned on an opposed second side of the disc.

9. The down pressure control system of claim 8 , wherein the depth adjustment member is positioned on the first side of the disc.

10. A down pressure control system for an agricultural implement, the down pressure control system comprising:
a disc opener unit including a disc configured to cut a trench into the ground and a gauge wheel assembly configured to set a penetration depth of the disc, the gauge wheel assembly comprising a gauge wheel and a depth control arm coupled to the gauge wheel via a crankshaft extending through the disc such that the depth control arm is positioned on a first side of the disc and the gauge wheel is positioned on an opposed second side of the disc, the depth control arm being provided in operative association with a depth adjustment member of the disc opener unit;
a load sensor installed on the depth control arm, the load sensor being configured to provide an indication of a load applied through the gauge wheel assembly; and
a controller configured to monitor the load based on data received from the load sensor, the controller being further configured to adjust a down pressure applied on the disc opener unit based on the monitored load to maintain the penetration depth of the disc substantially constant;
wherein the depth adjustment member is positioned on the first side of the disc.

11. The down pressure control system of claim 10 , wherein the depth control arm includes a first end coupled to the crankshaft and a second end opposite the first end, the depth control arm extending between the first and second ends along the first side of the disc.

12. The down pressure control system of claim 11 , wherein the depth control arm is configured to engage the depth adjustment member adjacent to the second end of the depth control arm.

13. The down pressure control system of claim 12 , wherein the load sensor is installed on the depth control arm at a location between the first and second ends of the depth control arm.

14. The down pressure control system of claim 10 , wherein the load sensor is configured to provide the indication of the load by detecting the load transmitted through the depth control arm, the detected load being indicative of the down pressure being applied on the disc opener unit.

15. The down pressure control system of claim 14 , wherein the controller is configured to control the operation of a cylinder operatively coupled to the disc opener unit such that the monitored load is maintained within a given range of load values associated with maintaining the penetration depth of the disc substantially constant.

16. The down pressure control system of claim 10 , wherein the depth adjustment member comprises a plurality depth setting positions, the depth control arm configured to be selectively engaged with the depth adjustment member at one of the plurality of depth setting positions to set the penetration depth of the disc.

17. The down pressure control system of claim 16 , wherein the depth control arm further comprises a handle positioned adjacent to the second end of the depth control arm, the handle being operable to allow the depth control arm to be selectively engaged with the depth adjustment member at one of the plurality of depth setting positions.

18. The down pressure control system of claim 10 , wherein the load sensor comprises a strain gauge or a load cell.

19. The down pressure control system of claim 10 , wherein the controller is configured to control an operation of a cylinder operatively coupled to the disc opener unit to adjust the down pressure applied on the disc opener unit.

20. A down pressure control system for an agricultural implement, the down pressure control system comprising:
a disc opener unit including a disc configured to cut a trench into the ground and a gauge wheel assembly configured to set a penetration depth of the disc, the gauge wheel assembly comprising a gauge wheel and a depth control arm coupled to the gauge wheel via a crankshaft extending through the disc such that the depth control arm is positioned on a first side of the disc and the gauge wheel is positioned on an opposed second side of the disc, the depth control arm being provided in operative association with a depth adjustment member of the disc opener unit;
a load sensor installed on the depth control arm, the load sensor being configured to provide an indication of a load applied through the gauge wheel assembly; and
a controller configured to monitor the load based on data received from the load sensor, the controller being further configured to adjust a down pressure applied on t

Assignees

• Cnh Ind Canada Ltd

Inventors

• Kowalchuk Trevor
• Schilling Robin B
• Turner Jack

Classifications

• A01C7/205 Primary

  comprising pressure regulation means · CPC title