Agricultural implement skew detection and correction

• US 20110036281A1
• Filed: 08/11/2010
• Published: 02/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seedmaster Manufacturing Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Straw Track Manufacturing Inc .
• Inventors: Beaujot, Norbert
• Granted Patent: US 8,453,754 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 111/149
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 63/023 Lateral adjustment of their tools
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 63/16 with wheels adjustable relatively to the frame
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 63/22 operated by hydraulic or pneumatic means

Abstract

A system for correcting skewing in an agricultural implement where the implement includes a plurality of ground engaging tools laterally spaced across a width of the implement and operative to selectively engage the ground to perform a desired operation on a field surface has a skew detecting device operative to sense when the implement is travelling in a skewed orientation and send a correction signal indicating the skewed orientation to a correction mechanism. A drag force is exerted on the ground engaging tools by engagement with the ground when performing the desired operation on the field surface, and the correction mechanism is operative to change the drag forces exerted on at least some ground engaging tools on one side of the implement to correct the skewed orientation.

Claims

1. A system for correcting skewing in an agricultural implement where the implement includes a plurality of ground engaging tools laterally spaced across a width of the implement and operative to selectively engage the ground to perform a desired operation on a field surface, the system comprising:

a skew detecting device operative to sense when the implement is travelling in a skewed orientation and send a correction signal indicating the skewed orientation to a correction mechanism;

wherein a drag force is exerted on the ground engaging tools by engagement with the ground when performing the desired operation on the field surface; and

wherein the correction mechanism is operative to change the drag forces exerted on at least some ground engaging tools on one side of the implement to correct the skewed orientation.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the correction mechanism is operative to vary a depth of ground penetration of at least some ground engaging tools.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the depth of ground penetration of the ground engaging tools on the implement is adjusted by adjusting a height of a frame of the implement with respect to the ground, and wherein the correction mechanism is operative to raise and lower the implement frame on at least one side of the implement.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein the depth of ground penetration of the ground engaging tools on the implement is adjusted by adjusting a height of the ground engaging tools with respect to a frame of the implement, and wherein the correction mechanism is operative to raise and lower ground engaging tools with respect to the implement frame on at least one side of the implement.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one ground engaging tool is movably mounted to the implement, and a bias element is operative to exert a downward bias force between the implement and the at least one ground engaging tool to force the at least one ground engaging tool into the ground, and wherein the correction mechanism is operative to increase and decrease the bias force.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the at least one ground engaging tool comprises a tool assembly with a trailing arm pivotally attached to the implement at a front end thereof, a packer wheel mounted on a rear end of the trailing arm, and a furrow opener mounted on the trailing arm forward of the packer wheel, and wherein the bias element is operative to exert the downward bias force on the trailing arm.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the implement comprises a plurality of right tool assemblies mounted on the implement, and a plurality of left tool assemblies mounted on the implement to the left of the right tool assemblies, and wherein the bias elements comprise hydraulic cylinders, and wherein the hydraulic cylinders on the right tool assemblies are connected to a first hydraulic source and the hydraulic cylinders on the left tool assemblies are connected to a second hydraulic source, and wherein the correction mechanism is operative to increase and decrease an operating pressure of at least one of the first and second hydraulic sources.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the skew detecting device comprises a sensor mounted on a rear portion of the implement rearward of a front ground engaging tool and aligned with the front ground engaging tool in an operating travel direction of the implement, wherein the sensor is operative to detect a furrow formed by the front ground engaging tool at a sensing location rearward of the front ground engaging tool and send the correction signal when the sensor detects that the furrow at the sensing location is skewed with respect to the front ground engaging tool.

9. An agricultural seeding implement apparatus comprising:

an agricultural seeding implement comprising a plurality of furrow opener assemblies laterally spaced across a width of the implement and operative to selectively engage the ground such that the furrow opener assemblies form furrows in the ground, and a distribution system operative to deposit an agricultural product into each furrow;

wherein a drag force is exerted on the furrow opener assemblies by engagement with the ground;

a skew detecting device operative to sense when the implement is travelling in a skewed orientation and send a correction signal indicating the skewed orientation;

a correction mechanism operative to receive the correction signal and operative to change drag forces exerted on at least some furrow opener assemblies on at least one side of the implement to correct the skewed orientation.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the correction mechanism is operative to vary a depth of ground penetration of at least some furrow opener assemblies.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the depth of ground penetration of the furrow opener assemblies on the implement is adjusted by adjusting a height of a frame of the implement with respect to the ground, and wherein the correction mechanism is operative to raise and lower the implement frame on at least one side of the implement.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the depth of ground penetration of the furrow opener assemblies on the implement is adjusted by adjusting a height of the furrow opener assemblies with respect to a frame of the implement, and wherein the correction mechanism is operative to raise and lower the furrow opener assemblies with respect to the implement frame on at least one side of the implement.

13. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein at least one furrow opener assembly comprises a furrow opener and a bias element is operative to exert a downward bias force between the implement and the furrow opener to force the furrow opener into the ground, and wherein the correction mechanism is operative to increase and decrease the bias force.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the at least one furrow opener assembly is provided by a trailing arm furrow opener assembly comprising a trailing arm pivotally attached to the implement at a front end thereof, a packer wheel mounted on a rear end of the trailing arm, and a furrow opener mounted on the trailing arm forward of the packer wheel, and wherein the bias element is operative to exert the downward bias force on the trailing arm

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the implement comprises a plurality of right trailing arm furrow opener assemblies mounted on the implement, and a plurality of left trailing arm furrow opener assemblies mounted on the implement to the left of the right tool assemblies, and wherein the bias elements comprise hydraulic cylinders, and wherein the hydraulic cylinders on the right trailing arm furrow opener assemblies are connected to a first hydraulic source and the hydraulic cylinders on the left trailing arm furrow opener assemblies are connected to a second hydraulic source, and wherein the correction mechanism is operative to increase and decrease an operating pressure of at least one of the first and second hydraulic sources.

16. A method of correcting skewing in an agricultural implement where the implement includes a plurality of ground engaging tools laterally spaced across a width of the implement, and where the ground engaging tools are operative to selectively engage the ground to perform a desired operation on a field surface, the method comprising:

engaging the ground engaging tools in the ground to perform the desired operation such that a drag force is exerted on the ground engaging tools by engagement with the ground;

detecting when the implement is travelling in a skewed orientation and sending a correction signal indicating the skewed orientation;

receiving the correction signal and in response, changing the drag forces exerted on at least some ground engaging tools on one side of the implement to correct the skewed orientation.

17. The method of claim 16 comprising changing the drag forces by varying a depth of ground penetration of the at least some ground engaging tools.

18. The method of claim 17 comprising varying the depth of ground penetration of the at least some ground engaging tools by adjusting a height of a frame of the implement with respect to the ground on the one side of the implement.

19. The method of claim 17 comprising varying the depth of ground penetration of the at least some ground engaging tools by adjusting a height of the at least some ground engaging tools with respect to a frame of the implement.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein at least one ground engaging tool is movably mounted to the implement, and a bias element is operative to exert a downward bias force between the implement and the at least one ground engaging tool to force the at least one ground engaging tool into the ground, and comprising changing the drag force exerted on at least one ground engaging tool by increasing and decreasing the bias force.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the at least one ground engaging tool comprises a tool assembly with a trailing arm pivotally attached to the implement at a front end thereof, a packer wheel mounted on a rear end of the trailing arm, and a furrow opener mounted on the trailing arm forward of the packer wheel, and wherein the bias element is operative to exert the downward bias force on the trailing arm.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the implement comprises a plurality of right tool assemblies mounted on the implement, and a plurality of left tool assemblies mounted on the implement to the left of the right tool assemblies, and wherein the bias elements comprise hydraulic cylinders, and wherein the hydraulic cylinders on the right tool assemblies are connected to a first hydraulic source and the hydraulic cylinders on the left tool assemblies are connected to a second hydraulic source, and comprising changing the drag forces by increasing and decreasing an operating pressure of at least one of the first and second hydraulic sources.

23. The method of claim 16 comprising sensing a lateral position of a furrow formed by a front ground engaging tool at a sensing location rearward of and aligned with the front ground engaging tool in an operating travel direction of the implement, and sending the correction signal when the lateral position of the furrow at the sensing location deviates from an aligned position.

24. An apparatus for detecting skewing in an agricultural implement where the implement includes a ground engaging tool mounted on a front portion thereof and operative to create a furrow in a ground surface, the apparatus comprising:

a furrow sensor mounted on a rear portion of the implement rearward of the ground engaging tool such that when the implement is travelling in a desired operating orientation the furrow sensor is in an aligned position where the furrow sensor is aligned in an operating travel direction of the implement with the front furrow opener;

wherein the furrow sensor is operative to detect the furrow and send a skew correction signal when the furrow sensor detects that the rear portion of the implement is laterally displaced from the furrow compared to the aligned position.

25. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the sensor comprises one of a sonar distance measuring device, a radar distance measuring device, and a member configured to follow the furrow.

26. The apparatus of claim 24 comprising a member configured to follow the furrow and mounted on a sensor arm pivotally attached to the rear portion of the implement about a substantially horizontal pivot axis oriented substantially in alignment with the operating travel direction, and wherein the correction signal is generated by pivotal movement of the sensor arm about the pivot axis.

27. The invention of claim 24 wherein said furrow sensor comprises first and second laterally spaced sensing elements adapted to ride along the ground, each of which may move vertically independently of the other and wherein the correction signal is generated by vertical movement of one sensing element relative to the other.