System and method for controlling the operation of a residue removal device of a seed-planting implement based on furrow closing assembly performance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10820490-B2
Application number	US-201816150736-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 3, 2018
Priority date	Oct 3, 2018
Publication date	Nov 3, 2020
Grant date	Nov 3, 2020

Abstract

A system for controlling an operation of a residue removal device of a seed-planting implement. The system may include a residue removal device configured to remove residue from a path of the seed-planting implement. The system may also include a furrow closing assembly including at least one closing disc, which is configured to close a furrow formed in the soil by the seed-planting implement. Furthermore, the system may include a sensor configured to capture data indicative of an operational parameter of the furrow closing assembly and a controller communicatively coupled to the sensor. The controller may be configured to monitor the operational parameter based on the data received from the sensor, and to control an operation of the residue removal device based on the monitored operational parameter.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system for controlling the operation of a residue removal device of a seed-planting implement, the system comprising:
a residue removal device configured to remove residue from a path of the seed-planting implement;
a furrow closing assembly including at least one closing disc, the furrow closing assembly configured to close a furrow formed in soil by the seed-planting implement;
a sensor configured to capture data indicative of an operational parameter of the furrow closing assembly, the operational parameter comprising at least one of a rotational speed of the at least one closing disc, a depth to which the at least one closing disc penetrates the soil, and a draft load applied to the at least one closing disc; and
a controller communicatively coupled to the sensor, the controller configured to monitor the operational parameter based on the data received from the sensor, the controller further configured to control an operation of the residue removal device based on the monitored operational parameter.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to monitor the operational parameter relative to a predetermined operational parameter range and initiate a control action when the monitored operational parameter exceeds a predetermined maximum parameter value of the predetermined parameter range or falls below a predetermined minimum parameter value of the predetermined parameter range.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine that the furrow closing assembly is plugged when the monitored operational parameter exceeds a predetermined maximum parameter value of the predetermined parameter range or falls below a predetermined minimum parameter value of the predetermined parameter range.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein the control action comprises notifying an operator of the seed-planting implement that the monitored operational parameter has fallen outside of the predetermined parameter range.

5. The system of claim 2 , wherein the control action comprises adjusting a downforce applied to the residue removal device.

6. The system of claim 2 , wherein the control action comprises adjusting at least one of a position of the furrow closing assembly between an operational position relative to the ground and a raised position relative to the ground or a downforce being applied to the furrow closing assembly.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the operational parameter comprises the rotational speed of the at least one closing disc, the controller further configured to adjust the downforce applied to the residue removal device when it is determined that the monitored rotational speed has fallen below a predetermined minimum speed value.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the operational parameter comprises the depth to which the at least one closing disc penetrates the soil, the controller further configured to adjust the downforce applied to the residue removal device when it is determined that the monitored depth has fallen below a predetermined minimum depth value.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises at least one of a vision-based sensor or a radio detection and ranging (RADAR) sensor configured to capture data indicative of plugging of the furrow closing assembly.

10. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a secondary sensor configured to capture secondary data indicative a field condition of a field across which the seed-planting implement is being moved, the controller being communicatively coupled to the secondary sensor, the controller further configured to monitor the field condition based the secondary data received from the secondary sensor and control the operation of the residue removal device based on the monitored operational parameter and the monitored field condition.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the controller is further configured to identify an amount of residue within at least a portion of the field based on the captured secondary data and, when it is determined that the amount of residue within the at least a portion of the field exceeds a predetermined residue amount, increase the downforce applied to the residue removal device.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the field condition comprises a moisture content of the soil within the field.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the operational parameter comprises the rotational speed of the at least one closing disc, further comprising:
when the monitored rotational speed falls below a predetermined minimum speed value, adjusting, with the computing device, the downforce applied to the residue removal device.

14. A method for controlling the operation of a residue removal device of a seed-planting implement, the residue removal device configured to remove residue from a path of the seed-planting implement, the method comprising:
controlling, with a computing device, an operation of the seed-planting implement as the implement is being moved across the field, the implement including a furrow closing assembly having at least one closing disc, the furrow closing assembly configured to close a furrow formed in the by the seed-planting implement;
monitoring, with the computing device, an operational parameter of the furrow closing assembly, the operational parameter comprising at least one of a rotational speed of the at least one closing disc, a depth to which the at least one closing disc penetrates the soil, and a draft load applied to the at least one closing disc; and
controlling, with the computing device, an operation of the residue removal device based on the monitored operational parameter.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein monitoring the operational parameter comprises monitoring, with the computing device, the operational parameter relative to a predetermined operational parameter range, the method further comprising:
when the monitored operational parameter exceeds a predetermined maximum parameter value of the predetermined parameter range or falls below a predetermined minimum parameter value of the predetermined parameter range, initiating, with the computing device, a control action.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
when the monitored operational parameter exceeds a predetermined maximum parameter value of the predetermined parameter range or falls below a predetermined minimum parameter value of the predetermined parameter range, determining, with the computing device, that the furrow closing assembly is plugged.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the control action comprises notifying an operator of the seed-planting implement that the monitored operational parameter has fallen outside of the predetermined parameter range.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the control action comprises adjusting a downforce applied to the residue removal device.

19. The method of claim 15 , wherein the control action comprises adjusting at least one of a position of the furrow closing assembly between an operational position relative to the ground and a raised position relative to the ground or a downforce being applied to the furrow closing assembly.

20. The method of claim 14 , wherein the operational parameter comprises the depth to which the at least one closing disc penetrates the soil, the method further comprising:
when the monitored depth falls below a predetermined minimum depth value, adjusting, with the computing device, the downforce applied to the residue removal device.

Assignees

• Cnh Ind America Llc

Inventors

• Schoeny Christopher
• STANHOPE Trevor

Classifications

• A01B76/00

  Parts, details or accessories of agricultural machines or implements, not provided for in groups A01B51/00 - A01B75/00 · CPC title

• A01C5/064

  with rotating tools · CPC title

• A01C7/205 Primary

  comprising pressure regulation means · CPC title

• A01B35/28

  Rotating tools; Mounting rotating tools · CPC title

• A01B49/06

  for sowing or fertilising · CPC title