System and method for monitoring the frame levelness of an agricultural implement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10750656-B2
Application number	US-201816022887-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 29, 2018
Priority date	Jun 29, 2018
Publication date	Aug 25, 2020
Grant date	Aug 25, 2020

Abstract

In one aspect, a system for monitoring the frame levelness of an agricultural implement include first and second sensors configured to capture data indicative of a position differential defined between a soil surface and a portion of an a first and second ground engaging tool positioned below the soil surface, respectively. The captured data may be associated at least partially with the receipt of sensor signals reflected off of the portion of the associated ground engaging tool positioned below the soil surface. The system may also include a controller configured to determine penetration depths of the first and second ground engaging tools based on the captured data received from the first and second sensors, respectively. The controller may also be configured to monitor the frame levelness based on a penetration depth differential defined between the first and second penetration depths.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for monitoring the frame levelness of an agricultural implement, the system comprising:
a frame extending in a longitudinal direction between a forward end and an aft end and in a lateral direction between a first side and a second side;
first and second ground engaging tools coupled to the frame, the first and second ground engaging tools being spaced apart from each other in at least one of the longitudinal direction or the lateral direction;
a first sensor configured to capture data indicative of a first position differential defined between a soil surface and a portion of the first ground engaging tool positioned below the soil surface, the captured data being associated with the receipt of sensor signals reflected off of the portion of the first ground engaging tool positioned below the soil surface;
a second sensor configured to capture data indicative of a second position differential defined between the soil surface and a portion of the second ground engaging tool positioned below the soil surface, the captured data being associated with the receipt of sensor signals reflected off of the portion of the second ground engaging tool positioned below the soil surface; and
a controller communicatively coupled to the first and second sensors, the controller being configured to:
determine a first penetration depth of the first ground engaging tool based on the captured data received from the first sensor;
determine a second penetration depth of the second ground engaging tool based on the captured data received from the second sensor; and
monitor a frame levelness associated with the frame based on a penetration depth differential defined between the first and second penetration depths.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor signals comprise at least one of radio wave signals, gamma ray signals, or x-ray signals.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the monitored penetration depth differential is indicative of at least one of pitch or roll of the frame.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the first and second ground engaging tools are spaced apart from each other in the lateral direction, the monitored penetration depth differential being indicative of roll of the frame.

5. The system of claim 3 , wherein the first and second ground engaging tools are spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction, the monitored penetration depth differential being indicative of pitch of the frame.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured initiate a control action associated with adjusting the frame levelness based on a magnitude of the monitored penetration depth differential.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to compare the monitored penetration depth differential to a maximum penetration depth differential threshold set for the implement, the controller being configured to initiate the control action when the monitored penetration depth differential exceeds the maximum penetration depth differential threshold.

8. The system of claim 6 , further comprising:
a plurality of wheels coupled to the frame, the control action being associated with adjusting a position of one or more of the wheels relative to the frame.

9. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a third sensor configured to capture data indicative of a first operational parameter of the implement, the controller further being configured to determine a second operational parameter based on data received from at least two of the first sensor, the second sensor, or the third sensor.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first and second ground engaging tools are pivotally coupled to the frame, further comprising:
a first actuator coupled between the frame and the first ground engaging tool and a second actuator coupled between the frame and the second ground engaging tool, the controller being further configured initiate a control action associated with at least one of adjusting a position of the first ground engaging tool relative to the frame or adjusting a position of the second ground engaging tool relative to the frame based on a magnitude of the monitored penetration depth differential.

11. A system for monitoring the penetration depths of tools associated with an agricultural implement, the system comprising:
a frame;
a ground engaging tool coupled to the frame;
a sensor configured to capture data indicative of a position differential defined between a soil surface of the ground and a portion of the ground engaging tool positioned below the soil surface, the captured data being associated with the receipt of sensor signals reflected off of both the soil surface and the portion of the second ground engaging tool positioned below the soil surface; and
a controller communicatively coupled to the sensor, the controller being configured to:
determine a first distance between the frame and the soil surface based on the captured data received from the sensor;
determine a second distance between the frame and a tip of the ground engaging tool positioned below the soil surface based on the captured data received from the sensor; and
determine a penetration depth of the ground engaging tool based on a differential defined between the first and second distances.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the sensor signals comprise at least one of radio wave signals, gamma ray signals, or x-ray signals.

13. A method for monitoring the frame levelness of an agricultural implement, the implement including a frame extending in a longitudinal between a forward end and an aft end and in a lateral direction between a first side and a second side, the implement further including first and second ground engaging tools coupled to the frame, the first and second ground engaging tools being spaced apart from each other in at least one of the longitudinal direction or the lateral direction, the method comprising:
determining, with a computing device, a first penetration depth of the first ground engaging tool based on data received from a first sensor, the first sensor being configured to capture data indicative of a first position differential defined between a soil surface and a portion of the first ground engaging tool positioned below the soil surface, the captured data being associated with the receipt of sensor signals reflected off of the portion of the first ground engaging tool positioned below the soil surface;
determining, with the computing device, a second penetration depth of the second ground engaging tool based on data received from a second sensor, the second sensor being configured to capture data indicative of a second position differential defined between the soil surface and a portion of the second ground engaging tool positioned below the soil surface, the captured data being associated with the receipt of sensor signals reflected off of the portion of the second ground engaging tool positioned below the soil surface; and
monitoring, with the computing device, a frame levelness associated with the frame based on a penetration depth differential defined between the first and second penetration depths; and
initiating, with the computing device, a control action associated with adjusting the frame levelness based on a magnitude of the monitored parameter differential.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the sensor signals comprise at least one of radio wave signals, gamma ray signals, or x-ray signals.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the monitored penetration depth differential is indicative of at least one of pitch or roll of the frame.

Assignees

• Cnh Ind America Llc

Inventors

• STANHOPE Trevor
• Fox Jason
• Ferrari Luca

Classifications

• G01S13/89

  for mapping or imaging · CPC title

• A01B35/26

  Rigid tools · CPC title

• A01B35/32

  with special additional arrangements · CPC title

• G01B11/22

  for measuring depth · CPC title

• G01S13/88 Primary

  Radar or analogous systems specially adapted for specific applications (electromagnetic prospecting or detecting of objects, e.g. near-field detection, G01V3/00) · CPC title