System and method for monitoring an operational status of a shear pin for a ground-engaging assembly of an agricultural implement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12150397-B2
Application number	US-202117206356-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 19, 2021
Priority date	Mar 19, 2021
Publication date	Nov 26, 2024
Grant date	Nov 26, 2024

Abstract

A system for monitoring the operational status of shear pins for ground-engaging assemblies of agricultural implements includes a ground-engaging assembly including an attachment structure pivotably coupling the ground-engaging assembly to a frame of an agricultural implement, a ground-engaging tool pivotably coupled to the attachment structure at a pivot joint, and a shear pin at least partially extending through the attachment structure and the ground-engaging tool to prevent pivoting of the ground-engaging tool about the pivot joint. The system also includes an orientation sensor configured to generate data indicative of an orientation of the attachment structure, and a computing system communicatively coupled to the orientation sensor. The computing system is configured to monitor the orientation of the attachment structure and determine a change in an operational status of the shear pin based on detected changes in the monitored orientation of the attachment structure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for monitoring the operational status of shear pins for ground-engaging assemblies of agricultural implements, the system comprising:
a ground-engaging assembly, comprising:
an attachment structure pivotably coupling the ground-engaging assembly to a frame of an agricultural implement;
a ground-engaging tool pivotably coupled to the attachment structure at a pivot joint; and
a shear pin at least partially extending through the attachment structure and the ground-engaging tool to prevent pivoting of the ground-engaging tool about the pivot joint;

an orientation sensor configured to detect an orientation of the attachment structure as the attachment structure pivots relative to the frame; and
a computing system communicatively coupled to the orientation sensor, the computing system being configured to monitor the orientation of the attachment structure and determine a change in an operational status of the shear pin based on detected changes in the monitored orientation of the attachment structure.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the computing system is configured to determine that the shear pin has failed based on detected changes in the monitored orientation of the attachment structure.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the computing system is configured to compare the monitored orientation of the attachment structure to a predetermined orientation range set for the attachment structure, the computing system being configured to determine that a change in the operational status of the shear pin has occurred when it is detected that the monitored orientation of the attachment structure falls outside the predetermined orientation range.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the computing system is configured to compare a rate-of-change of the monitored orientation of the attachment structure to a predetermined rate-of-change threshold set for the attachment structure, the computing system being configured to determine that a change in the operational status of the shear pin has occurred when it is detected that the rate-of-change of the monitored orientation exceeds the predetermined rate-of-change threshold.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the computing system is further configured to automatically initiate a control action when it is determined that the operational status of the shear pin has changed.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the control action comprises generation of an operator notification or a reduction in an operating speed of the agricultural implement.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the orientation sensor comprises a local orientation sensor or a global orientation sensor.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the ground-engaging assembly further comprises a biasing element configured to bias the ground-engaging tool towards a ground-engaging position.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the agricultural implement comprises a tillage implement and the ground-engaging tool comprises a shank of the tillage implement.

10. An agricultural implement, comprising:
a frame;
a plurality of shank assemblies supported relative to the frame, each shank assembly comprising:
an attachment structure pivotably coupling the shank assembly to the frame;
a shank pivotably coupled to the attachment structure at a pivot joint;
a shear pin at least partially extending through the attachment structure and the shank to prevent pivoting of the shank about the pivot joint; and
a biasing element coupled between the frame and the attachment structure, the biasing element being configured to bias the shank towards a ground-engaging position;

a plurality of orientation sensors, each orientation sensor being configured to detect an orientation of the attachment structure of a respective shank assembly of the plurality of shank assemblies as the attachment structure of the respective shank assembly pivots relative to the frame; and
a computing system communicatively coupled to the plurality of orientation sensors, the computing system being configured to monitor the orientation of the attachment structure of each of the plurality of shank assemblies and determine a change in an operational status of the shear pin of a given shank assembly of the plurality of shank assemblies based on detected changes in the monitored orientation of the attachment structure of the given shank assembly.

11. The agricultural implement of claim 9 , wherein the computing system is configured to determine that the shear pin of the given shank assembly has failed based on detected changes in the monitored orientation of the attachment structure of the given shank assembly.

12. The agricultural implement of claim 9 , wherein the computing system is configured to compare the monitored orientation of the attachment structure of each of the plurality of shank assemblies to a predetermined orientation range set for said attachment structure, the computing system being configured to determine that a change in the operational status of the shear pin of the given shank assembly has occurred when it is detected that the monitored orientation of the attachment structure of the given shank assembly falls outside the predetermined orientation range.

13. The agricultural implement of claim 9 , wherein the computing system is configured to compare a rate-of-change of the monitored orientation of the attachment structure of each of the plurality of shank assemblies to a predetermined rate-of-change threshold set for the attachment structure, the computing system being configured to determine that a change in the operational status of the shear pin of the given shank assembly has occurred when it is detected that the rate-of-change of the monitored orientation exceeds the predetermined rate-of-change threshold.

14. The agricultural implement of claim 9 , wherein the computing system is further configured to automatically initiate a control action when it is determined that the operational status of the shear pin of the given shank assembly has changed.

15. The agricultural implement of claim 9 , wherein the orientation sensor comprises a local orientation sensor or a global orientation sensor.

16. A method for monitoring the operational status of a shear pin for a ground-engaging assembly of an agricultural implement, the ground-engaging assembly including an attachment structure pivotably coupling the ground-engaging assembly to a frame of the agricultural implement, a ground-engaging tool pivotably coupled to the attachment structure at a pivot joint, and a shear pin at least partially extending through the attachment structure and the ground-engaging tool to prevent pivoting of the ground-engaging tool about the pivot joint, the method comprising:
receiving, with a computing system, sensor data from an orientation sensor configured to detect an orientation of the attachment structure as the attachment structure pivots relative to the frame;
monitoring, with the computing system, the orientation of the attachment structure of the shank assembly based on the sensor data received from the orientation sensor;
determining, with the computing system, that a change in an operational status of the shear pin of the shank assembly has occurred based on detected changes in the monitored orientation of the attachment structure; and
automatically initiating, with the computing system, a control action in response to determining that the change in the operational status of the shear pin of the shank assembly has occurred.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein determining that the change in the oper

Assignees

• Cnh Ind America Llc

Inventors

• Schroeder Brittany

Classifications

• G01D5/16

  by varying resistance · CPC title

• G01B7/30

  for measuring angles or tapers; for testing the alignment of axes · CPC title

• A01B35/32

  with special additional arrangements · CPC title

• A01B35/24

  Spring tools · CPC title

• A01B3/24

  Tractor-drawn ploughs (A01B3/04 takes precedence) · CPC title