Ground engaging member accumulation determination

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9405039-B2
Application number	US-201414259104-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 22, 2014
Priority date	Apr 22, 2014
Publication date	Aug 2, 2016
Grant date	Aug 2, 2016

Abstract

A sensor to be mounted to an implement senses a region proximate a flow by ground engaging member of the implement. A electronics receives signals from the sensor and identifies accumulation on the grounding engaging member based upon the signals. The electronics outputs signals based upon the identified accumulation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a multi-row implement comprising:
a flow by ground engaging member for a first row of the implement, the flow by ground engaging member to cut into soil and project below a surface of ground; and
a second flow by ground engaging member for a second row of the implement, the flow by ground engaging member to cut into soil and project below a surface of ground;

a sensor mounted to the implement so as to sense a first volume where soil, residue or trash accumulation is expected to occur proximate the flow by ground engaging member for the first row of the implement;
a second sensor mounted to the implement so as to sense a second volume where soil, residue or trash accumulation is expected to occur proximate the second flow by ground engaging member for the second row of the implement; and
electronics to receive signals from the sensor and the second sensor, the electronics to identify soil, residue or trash accumulation in the volume on the flow by ground engaging member and the second flow by ground engaging member based upon the signals and to output signals identifying soil, residue or trash accumulation with a row-by-row resolution based upon the identified accumulation, wherein different soil, residue or trash accumulation results are identified for different rows of the implement.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises:
a beam detector to be mounted to the implement; and
a beam emitter to be mounted to the implement so as to form a beam proximate the ground engaging member, wherein accumulation on the flow by ground engaging member alters detection of the beam by the detector.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising flow by ground engaging members including the flow by ground engaging member and the second flow by ground engaging member and sensors including the sensor and the second sensor, wherein the sensors comprise emitter detector pairs, each of the emitter detector pairs being spaced across a different subset of the flow by ground engaging members, a subset including a plurality of the flow by ground engaging members.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the electronics output control signals adjusting a parameter of the sensor based upon the signals.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the electronics output control signals adjusting a position of the sensor based on the signals.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising
a shield carried by the implement adjacent the sensor.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the implement comprises a structural member and wherein the sensor is at least partially recessed within the structural member.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the electronics output control signals to adjust an operating parameter of the implement based on the determined accumulation.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the electronics is further to store data based on the determined accumulation.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the electronics is further to identify soil chips thrown by the flow by ground engaging member and distinguish soil chips from accumulation on the flow by ground engaging member.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the electronics is further to determine a distribution of the accumulation on the flow by ground engaging member based upon the signals.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further to determine and output different non-zero accumulation amounts on the flow by ground engaging member based upon the signals.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a third sensor to be carried by the implement, wherein the electronics is to receive second signals from the third sensor and wherein the identification of accumulation on the flow by ground engaging member is based on the signals from the sensor and the second signals from the third sensor.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a third sensor to be carried by the implement, wherein the sensor is of a first type, wherein the third sensor is of a second type different than the first type, wherein the electronics is to receive second signals from the third sensor and wherein the identification of accumulation on the flow by ground engaging member is based on the signals from the sensor and the second signals from the third sensor.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the sensor comprises an infrared emitter detector pair, and wherein the third sensor comprises a Gamma Ray emitter detector pair the apparatus further comprising a second sensor comprising a Gamma Ray emitter detector pair, wherein the electronics is to receive second signals from the second sensor and wherein the identification of accumulation on the flow by ground engaging member is based on the signals from the sensor and the second signals from the second sensor.

16. The implement of claim 1 , wherein the sensors comprise:
a first sensor of a first type to output signals indicating accumulation on one of the flow by ground engaging members; and
a second sensor of a second type different than the first type to output signals indicating accumulation on said one of the flow by ground engaging members.

17. An implement to be pulled by a vehicle, the implement comprising:
a frame;
flow by ground engaging members supported by the frame;
sensors supported by the frame to output signals indicating accumulation,
wherein the flow by ground engaging members are configured to cut into and part soil while projecting below a surface of the ground,
wherein the sensors are the sense a volume proximate the ground engaging members where accumulation is expected to occur and wherein the signals indicate accumulation of soil, residue or trash in the volume.

18. The implement of claim 17 , where the sensors comprise emitter detector pairs.

19. The implement of claim 17 , wherein sensors comprise emitter detector pairs, each of the emitter detector pairs being spaced across a different subset of the flow by ground engaging members, each subset including a plurality of the flow by ground engaging members.

20. A method comprising:
sensing a volume proximate a flow by ground engaging member that cuts into soil, that projects below a surface of ground and that is carried by an implement, the sensing carried out by using a sensor supported by the implement;
determining, with electronics, the presence of soil, residue or trash accumulation in the volume and on the flow by ground engaging member based upon signals received from the sensor; and
outputting, from the electronics, a signal based upon the determination of accumulation on the flow by ground engaging member.

Assignees

• Deere & Co
• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Anderson Noel W

Classifications

• A01B71/08 Primary

  Means for protecting against dust or the like, or for cleaning agricultural implements (discs for ploughs A01B15/16; lifting or cleaning apparatus for harrows A01B19/10; discs for harrows A01B23/06; screening of rotary driven tilling tools A01B33/12) · CPC title

• A01B79/00

  Methods for working soil · CPC title

• G01V11/002 Primary

  Details, e.g. power supply systems for logging instruments, transmitting or recording data, specially adapted for well logging, also if the prospecting method is irrelevant (means for transmitting well survey signals E21B47/12; signal transmission systems in general G08C; transmission in general H04B) · CPC title

• G01V8/12

  using one transmitter and one receiver · CPC title