ROW UNIT BOUNCE MONITORING SYSTEM

• US 20110184551A1
• Filed: 01/26/2010
• Published: 07/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CNH Industrial Canada, Ltd (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Original Assignee: CNH Canada Limited (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Inventors: Kowalchuk, Trevor
• Granted Patent: US 8,448,587 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/219
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/105 Seed sensors

Abstract

An agricultural implement system is provided that includes a row unit configured to deposit seeds within soil. The agricultural implement system also includes a bounce sensor rigidly coupled to the row unit and configured to output a signal indicative of a bounce magnitude, a bounce direction, or a combination thereof, of the row unit.

Claims

1. An agricultural implement system, comprising:

a plurality of row units each configured to deposit seeds within soil; and

a bounce sensor rigidly coupled to at least one row unit and configured to output a signal indicative of a bounce magnitude, a bounce direction, or a combination thereof, of the at least one row unit.

2. The agricultural implement system of claim 1, comprising an electronic control unit configured to receive data from a networked sensor interface, wherein the bounce sensor is configured to output the signal indicative of bounce to the networked sensor interface.

3. The agricultural implement system of claim 2, wherein each row unit comprises:

a seed tube configured to direct seeds into the soil; and

a seed sensor disposed adjacent to the seed tube, wherein the seed sensor is configured to monitor a flow of seeds through the seed tube and to output a signal to the electronic control unit through the networked sensor interface indicative of the flow of seeds.

4. The agricultural implement system of claim 2, wherein the electronic control unit is configured to output a signal to a tow vehicle controller indicative of bounce.

5. The agricultural implement system of claim 1, wherein the bounce sensor comprises an accelerometer.

6. The agricultural implement system of claim 1, comprising a plurality of bounce sensors, wherein each bounce sensor is rigidly coupled to each row unit.

7. The agricultural implement system of claim 6, comprising an electronic control unit configured to receive data from each bounce sensor and compute an average bounce magnitude, an average bounce direction, or a combination thereof.

8. An agricultural implement system, comprising:

a row unit having a seed sensor configured to monitor a flow of seeds and to output a first signal through a networked sensor interface indicative of the flow of seeds;

a bounce sensor configured to output a second signal through the networked sensor interface indicative of a bounce magnitude, a bounce direction, or a combination thereof, of the agricultural implement system; and

an electronic control unit configured to receive the first signal and the second signal from the networked sensor interface and to determine the bounce magnitude, the bounce direction, or a combination thereof, based on the second signal.

9. The agricultural implement system of claim 8, wherein the bounce sensor is rigidly coupled to the row unit.

10. The agricultural implement system of claim 8, wherein the electronic control unit is configured to output a third signal to a tow vehicle controller indicative of the bounce magnitude, the bounce direction, or a combination thereof.

11. The agricultural implement system of claim 8, comprising a housing mounted to a seed tube of the row unit, wherein the housing contains the seed sensor and the bounce sensor.

12. The agricultural implement system of claim 8, comprising a plurality of row units each having a seed sensor, wherein each seed sensor is configured to output the first signal through the networked sensor interface.

13. The agricultural implement system of claim 12, comprising a plurality of bounce sensors, wherein each bounce sensor is rigidly coupled to each row unit, and each bounce sensor is configured to output the second signal through the networked sensor interface.

14. The agricultural implement system of claim 12, comprising a bus configured to relay the first signal and the second signal from the networked sensor interface to the electronic control unit.

15. The agricultural implement system of claim 8, wherein the bounce sensor comprises an accelerometer.

16. An agricultural implement system, comprising:

a plurality of row units each having a seed sensor configured to monitor a flow of seeds and to output a first signal through a networked sensor interface indicative of the flow of seeds;

a bounce sensor rigidly coupled to at least one row unit, wherein the bounce sensor is configured to output a second signal through the networked sensor interface indicative of a bounce magnitude, a bounce direction, or a combination thereof, of the at least one row unit; and

an electronic control unit configured to receive the first signal and the second signal from the networked sensor interface and to determine the bounce magnitude, the bounce direction, or a combination thereof, based on the second signal.

17. The agricultural implement system of claim 16, comprising a plurality of bounce sensors each rigidly coupled to each row unit.

18. The agricultural implement system of claim 17, comprising a plurality of housings each mounted to a seed tube of each row unit, wherein each housing contains the seed sensor and the bounce sensor.

19. The agricultural implement system of claim 16, comprising a bus configured to relay the first signal and the second signal from the networked sensor interface to the electronic control unit.

20. The agricultural implement system of claim 16, wherein the electronic control unit is configured to output a third signal to a tow vehicle controller indicative of the bounce magnitude, the bounce direction, or a combination thereof.