Agricultural shank with protected soil sensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11064642-B2
Application number	US-201715499210-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 27, 2017
Priority date	Apr 27, 2017
Publication date	Jul 20, 2021
Grant date	Jul 20, 2021

Abstract

An agricultural implement includes a chassis and a shank carried by the chassis. The shank includes: a shank body configured to penetrate a soil top surface; a sensor attached to an outer surface of the shank body and defining a probing area; and a sensor shield carried by the shank body in front of the sensor, the sensor shield being configured to deflect oncoming soil flow away from the sensor without substantially disrupting soil flow into the probing area.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An agricultural implement, comprising:
a chassis; and
a shank carried by the chassis, the shank including:
a shank body configured to penetrate a soil top surface;
an optical sensor attached to an outer lateral surface of the shank body, wherein the optical sensor includes a window, at least a portion of the window is positioned laterally outward from the outer lateral surface of the shank body, the window enables a signal emitted by the optical sensor to contact soil adjacent to the window, and the optical sensor defines a probing area adjacent to a lateral side of the shank body; and
a sensor shield carried by the shank body and positioned at least partially in front of the optical sensor, wherein a portion of the sensor shield is positioned against the window of the optical sensor, the sensor shield is configured to deflect oncoming soil flow away from the optical sensor without substantially disrupting soil flow into the probing area, and the sensor shield extends laterally past the outer lateral surface of the shank body, such that an outer lateral edge of the sensor shield is flush with an outer lateral end of the window.

2. The implement according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor shield comprises at least one beveled surface extending laterally relative to the shank body.

3. The implement according to claim 1 , wherein the optical sensor is configured to quantify nitrate-N in soil.

4. The implement according to claim 1 , further comprising a controller carried by the chassis above the optical sensor and coupled to the optical sensor.

5. The implement according to claim 4 , further comprising a conduit attached to the shank body and at least one wire coupling the controller and the optical sensor, the wire being at least partially housed within the conduit.

6. The implement according to claim 5 , wherein the shank body defines a shank width and the conduit attaches to a rear surface of the shank body, the conduit having a conduit width which is no greater than the shank width.

7. The implement according to claim 1 , further comprising a retractor coupled to the shank and the chassis, the retractor configured to vertically pull up the shank body carrying the optical sensor when the shank body experiences a threshold resistive force.

8. The implement according to claim 1 , further comprising a closing device carried behind the shank and configured to at least partially close a slot formed by the shank during travel through soil.

9. A shank for an agricultural implement, comprising:
a shank body configured to penetrate a soil top surface;
an optical sensor attached to an outer lateral surface of the shank body, wherein the optical sensor includes a window, at least a portion of the window is positioned laterally outward from the outer lateral surface of the shank body, the window enables a signal emitted by the optical sensor to contact soil adjacent to the window, and the optical sensor defines a probing area adjacent to a lateral side of the shank body; and
a sensor shield carried by the shank body and positioned at least partially in front of the optical sensor, wherein a portion of the sensor shield is positioned against the window of the optical sensor, the sensor shield is configured to deflect oncoming soil flow away from the optical sensor without substantially disrupting soil flow into the probing area, and the sensor shield extends laterally past the outer lateral surface of the shank body, such that an outer lateral edge of the sensor shield is flush with an outer lateral end of the window.

10. The shank according to claim 9 , wherein the sensor shield comprises at least one beveled surface extending laterally relative to the shank body.

11. The shank according to claim 9 , wherein the optical sensor is configured to quantify nitrate-N in soil.

12. The shank according to claim 9 , further comprising a conduit attached to a rear surface of the shank body, the shank body defining a shank width and the conduit having a conduit width which is no greater than the shank width.

Assignees

• Cnh Ind Canada Ltd

Inventors

• Zemenchik Robert A
• Henry James W

Classifications

• A01B79/005 Primary

  Precision agriculture · CPC title

• A01B49/027

  with a rotating, soil working support element, e.g. a roller · CPC title

• A01B17/00 Primary

  Ploughs with special additional arrangements, e.g. means for putting manure under the soil, clod-crushers · CPC title

• A01C5/062

  Devices for making drills or furrows · CPC title

• A01B76/00

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