ROW UNIT WITH SHANK OPENER

• US 20160338260A1
• Filed: 05/20/2016
• Published: 11/24/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kinze Manufacturing Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Kinze Manufacturing Incorporated
• Inventors: Hahn, Dustan, Wilhelmi, Matthew J.
• Granted Patent: US 10,188,027 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 5/068 Furrow packing devices, e.g. press wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/203 comprising depth regulation means

Abstract

A row unit for use with an agricultural implement is provided. The row unit includes a frame, a winged shank opener operatively connected to the frame, a depth-setting member operatively connected to the frame such that at least a portion of the winged shank extends below the depth-setting member to form a furrow and the depth-setting member at least partially controls the depth of said furrow, and a seed meter for planting seed in the depth formed by the winged shank opener. The depth setting member can be a ski, one or more gage wheels, or a combination of the same. A depth control mechanism can also be included to aid in controlling the depth of the furrow created.

Claims

1. A row unit for use with an agricultural implement, comprising:

a frame;

a winged shank opener operatively connected to the frame; and

a ski member operatively connected to the frame such that at least a portion of the winged shank extends below the ski member to form a furrow and the ski member at least partially controls the depth of said furrow.

2. The row unit of claim 1, further comprising a depth adjustment device to adjust the length of the winged shank extending below said ski.

3. The row unit of claim 2, wherein the depth adjustment device comprises an actuator extending between the frame and the shank opener to adjust the length of the shank relative to the ski.

4. The row unit of claim 1, wherein the winged shank comprises first and second wings on opposite sides of the shank to aid in pulling the shank into a field.

5. The row unit of claim 4, wherein the first and second wings are angled at least partially upward in a front-to-back configuration.

6. The row unit of claim 1, further comprising a seed meter operatively connected to the frame and configured to singulate and dispense seed into the furrow created by the winged shank.

7. The row unit of claim 6, further comprising a seed delivery system operatively connected to the seed meter to aid in delivering the seed dispensed from the meter to the furrow created by the winged shank.

8. The row unit of claim 7, wherein the seed delivery system comprises a seed tube.

9. The row unit of claim 7, wherein the seed delivery system comprises:

a seed tube operatively connected to the seed meter; and

a resilient member at least partially in a housing for receiving seed from the seed tube and transporting seed at least partially between the housing and the resilient member to discharge the seed towards the furrow.

10. The row unit of claim 9, wherein the resilient member comprises a substantially circular member positioned in the housing.

11. The row unit of claim 10, further comprising:

an electric motor operatively connected to the resilient member to control the rotational velocity thereof;

wherein the rotational velocity of the resilient member is determinative on the ground speed of the row unit.

12. The row unit of claim 1, further comprising a depth control measurement system.

13. The row unit of claim 12, wherein the depth control measurement system comprises:

a seed firmer positioned at least partially behind the winged shank;

an electromagnetic wave transmitter operatively positioned on the seed firmer; and

an electromagnetic wave reflector operatively positioned on the frame such that the transmitter and reflector communicate to determine a distance therebetween to determine the depth of the furrow being created by the winged shank.

14. The row unit of claim 13, further comprising an electromagnetic wave receiver operatively positioned on the ski for determining the depth.

15. The row unit of claim 14, further comprising an actuator operatively connected to the ski to adjust the position of the ski based upon the measurements of the depth control measurement system.

16. A row unit for use with an agricultural implement, comprising:

a frame;

a winged shank opener operatively connected to the frame;

a depth-setting member operatively connected to the frame such that at least a portion of the winged shank extends below the depth-setting member to form a furrow and the depth-setting member at least partially controls the depth of said furrow; and

a seed meter for planting seed in the depth formed by the winged shank opener.

17. The row unit of claim 16, wherein the depth-setting member comprises gage wheels operatively connected to the frame of the row unit.

18. The row unit of claim 16, wherein the depth-setting member comprises a ski member operatively connected to the frame of the row unit.

19. A depth control mechanism for use with a row unit including a frame, a winged shank opener operatively connected to the frame, and a depth-setting member operatively connected to the frame such that at least a portion of the winged shank extends below the depth-setting member to form a furrow and the depth-setting member at least partially controls the depth of said furrow, said depth-control mechanism comprising:

a seed firmer positioned at least partially behind the winged shank;

an electromagnetic wave transmitter operatively positioned on the seed firmer; and

an electromagnetic wave reflector operatively positioned on the frame such that the transmitter and reflector communicate to determine a distance therebetween to determine the depth of the furrow being created by the winged shank.

20. The depth control mechanism of claim 19, further comprising:

an electromagnetic wave receiver operatively positioned on the ski for determining the depth; and

an actuator operatively connected to the ski to adjust the position of the ski based upon the measurements of the depth control measurement system.