System and method for controlling an agricultural implement during the performance of a tillage operation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11206753-B2
Application number	US-201916442026-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 14, 2019
Priority date	Jun 14, 2019
Publication date	Dec 28, 2021
Grant date	Dec 28, 2021

Abstract

A system for controlling an implement during a tillage operation may include a frame and a ground-engaging tool pivotally coupled to the frame and movable relative to the frame between a retracted position and an extended position. An actuator may be configured to bias the ground-engaging tool towards the extended position during the tillage operation. An adjustable valve may be configured to permit flow out of the actuator when a fluid pressure of the actuator exceeds a reset pressure such that the actuator allows the ground-engaging tool to pivot towards the retracted position. A controller may be configured to determine at least one of an actuator position or a load value indicative of a force applied by the ground-engaging tool against the soil during the tillage operation and adjust the reset pressure based on the at least one of the actuator position or the load value.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for controlling an implement during the performance of a tillage operation with respect to soil in a field, the system comprising:
a frame;
a ground-engaging tool pivotally coupled to the frame such that the ground-engaging tool is movable relative to the frame between a retracted position and an extended position;
an actuator coupled to the frame and configured to bias the ground-engaging tool towards the extended position during the tillage operation;
a control valve configured to provide flow to the actuator such that the actuator biases the ground-engaging tool towards the extended position;
an adjustable relief valve configured to permit flow out of the actuator when a fluid pressure of the actuator exceeds a reset pressure such that the actuator allows the ground-engaging tool to pivot towards the retracted position;
a controller communicatively coupled with the adjustable relief valve, the controller configured to:
determine at least one of an actuator position of the actuator or a load value indicative of a force applied by the ground-engaging tool against the soil during the tillage operation; and
adjust the reset pressure based on the at least one of the actuator position or the load value.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a load sensor coupled to the actuator and configured to measure an actuator force associated with the actuator, and wherein the controller is configured to determine the load value by receiving signals from the load sensor.

3. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
an arm pivotally coupled with the frame, the ground-engaging tool coupled to the arm; and
a load sensor coupled between the arm and the frame, the load sensor configured to measure an arm force between the frame and the arm;
wherein the controller is configured to determine the load value by receiving signals from the load sensor.

4. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a single axis load pin coupled with the at least one of the actuator or the frame, and wherein the controller is further configured to receive signals from the single axis load pin to determine the load value indicative of the force applied by the ground-engaging tool against the soil during the tillage operation.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
detect a low pressure pattern associated with the sensed actuator position; and
when the low pressure pattern is detected, increase the reset pressure to adjust the reset pressure.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the low pressure pattern comprises the sensed actuator position varying from a fully extended position of the actuator by more than a predetermined threshold.

7. The system of claim 5 , wherein the low pressure pattern comprises the sensed actuator position varying from a fully extended position of the actuator by more than a predetermined threshold at a frequency that is greater than a predetermined frequency.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
detect an object collision pattern associated with the load value; and
when the object collision pattern is detected, decrease the reset pressure to adjust the reset pressure.

9. The system of claim 8 , further comprising an additional ground-engaging tool pivotally coupled to the frame of the implement, and wherein the controller is further configured to decrease a reset pressure associated with the additional ground-engaging tool when the object collision pattern is detected for the ground-engaging tool.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the implement is moved in a forward direction during the tillage operation, and wherein the ground-engaging tool is located in front of the additional ground-engaging tool with respect to the forward direction.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to detect an underground object based on the at least one of the actuator position of the actuator or the load value.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the controller is further configured to record a location of the underground object within the field.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to generate a tilling operation map that correlates a location of the implement within the field with the at least one of the actuator position of the actuator or the load value.

14. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an additional ground-engaging tool pivotally coupled to the frame of the implement, and wherein the controller is further configured to:
determine an additional load value indicative of an additional force applied by the additional ground-engaging tool against the soil during the tillage operation; and
determine a total draft load associated with the implement based on the load value and the additional load value.

15. The system of claim 1 , wherein the ground-engaging tool comprises a ripper shank, and wherein the tillage operation comprises a ripper operation.

16. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to control an operation of the control valve to provide flow to the actuator to bias the ground-engaging tool back towards the extended position following pivoting of the ground-engaging tool towards the retracted position.

17. A method for controlling a tillage operation with respect to soil in a field being performed with an implement comprising a frame and a ground-engaging tool pivotally coupled to the frame such that the ground-engaging tool is movable between a retracted position and an extended position relative to the frame, the method comprising:
controlling, by one or more computing devices, an operation of a control valve such that the control valve provides flow to an actuator coupled to the frame of the implement such that the actuator biases the ground-engaging tool towards the extended position;
determining, by the one or more computing devices, at least one of an actuator position of the actuator or a load value indicative of a force applied by the ground-engaging tool against the soil during the tillage operation; and
adjusting, by the one or more computing devices, a reset pressure associated with an adjustable relief valve based on the at least one of the actuator position or the load value, the adjustable relief valve being configured to permit flow out of the actuator when a fluid pressure of the actuator exceeds the reset pressure such that the actuator permits the ground-engaging tool to pivot towards the retracted position.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein determining the at least one of the actuator position or the load value comprises determining the load value by receiving signals from a load sensor coupled to the actuator and configured to measure an actuator force associated with the actuator.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein determining the at least one of the actuator position or the load value comprises determining the actuator position, and wherein the method further comprises:
detecting a low pressure pattern associated with the sensed actuator position; and
when the low pressure pattern is detected, increasing the reset pressure to adjust the reset pressure.

20. The method of claim 17 , further comprising detecting an underground object based on the at least one of the actuator position of the actuator or the load value.

21. The method of claim 17 , further comprising controlling the operation of the control valve to provide flow to the actuator to bias

Assignees

• Cnh Ind America Llc

Inventors

• Smith Kevin M
• Posselius John H
• Foster Christopher A
• Harmon Joshua David
• Anderson Bruce

Classifications

• A01B61/046 Primary

  the device including an energy accumulator for restoring the tool to its working position · CPC title

• A01B79/005

  Precision agriculture · CPC title

• A01B63/32

  operated by hydraulic or pneumatic means {without automatic control} · CPC title

• A01B63/10

  operated by hydraulic or pneumatic means · CPC title

• A01B39/22

  Tools; Mounting tools · CPC title