SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONSISTENT DEPTH SEEDING TO MOISTURE

• US 20170086359A1
• Filed: 09/30/2015
• Published: 03/30/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deere & Company
• Original Assignee: Deere & Company
• Inventors: Landphair, Donald K., Green, Lawrence D.
• Granted Patent: US 9,801,332 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 21/00 Methods of fertilising , sowing or planting
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 5/06 Machines for making or covering drills or furrows for sowing or planting
• 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 seeding machine includes a main frame and a row unit coupled to the main frame. The row unit includes a row unit frame, a gauge wheel coupled to the row unit frame, a furrow opener coupled to the row unit frame, the furrow opener having a stationary or rotating surface that contacts and moves soil, and a furrow closer coupled to the row unit frame, the furrow closer having a stationary or rotating surface that contacts and presses soil. The seeding machine also includes a seeding adjustment system including a soil removal device, a moisture sensor, a controller configured to receive a signal from the moisture sensor corresponding to the detected moisture level, and an actuator configured to change a position of the soil removal device based on the signal received by the controller.

Claims

1. A seeding machine comprising:

a main frame;

a row unit coupled to the main frame, the row unit having a row unit frame, a gauge wheel coupled to the row unit frame, a furrow opener coupled to the row unit frame, and a furrow closer coupled to the row unit frame; and

a seeding adjustment system including a soil removal device, the soil removal device having a stationary or rotating surface that contacts and moves soil, a moisture sensor configured to detect a moisture level at one or more layers of soil, a controller configured to receive a signal from the moisture sensor corresponding to the detected moisture level, and an actuator configured to change a position of the soil removal device based on the signal received by the controller.

2. The seeding machine of claim 1, wherein the moisture sensor is coupled to the row unit.

3. The seeding machine of claim 2, further comprising a seed firmer device coupled to the row unit frame, wherein the moisture sensor is coupled to the seed firmer device.

4. The seeding machine of claim 1, wherein the seeding machine has a direction of travel, and wherein the one or more layers of soil is in approaching soil ahead of the furrow opener along the direction of travel.

5. The seeding machine of claim 1, wherein the soil removal device is selected from a group consisting of a V-wing, a row cleaner, and a disk blade.

6. The seeding machine of claim 1, wherein the actuator is disposed between the row unit frame and the soil removal device.

7. The seeding machine of claim 6, wherein the actuator includes a linkage coupled to both the row unit frame and to the soil removal device.

8. The seeding machine of claim 1, wherein the actuator includes a hydraulic arm.

9. The seeding machine of claim 1, wherein the actuator includes a pneumatic arm.

10. The seeding machine of claim 1, wherein the row unit includes a seed metering device configured to meter seeds into a furrow, and wherein the row unit is configured to meter and plant each seed at a predetermined depth as measured from a top surface of the soil, regardless of a position of the soil removal device.

11. The seeding machine of claim 1, wherein when the controller determines that a moisture level of a first layer of soil is not optimal, the controller is configured to activate the actuator such that the soil removal device is lowered.

12. The seeding machine of claim 1, wherein the moisture sensor, the controller, and the actuator form a closed loop control, such that the moisture sensor continuously monitors moisture levels in the one or more layers of soil and send signals to the controller, and the actuator continuously adjusts a position of the soil removal device based on signals received from the controller.

13. The seeding machine of claim 1, wherein the row unit is one of a plurality of row units coupled to the main frame, wherein each row unit includes an associated actuator, and wherein the actuators are coupled to a single controller, such that the single controller controls each of the associated actuators individually.

14. The seeding machine of claim 13, wherein the moisture sensor is one of a plurality of moisture sensors that are each coupled to the single controller, and wherein each moisture sensor is associated with a different row unit.

15. The seeding machine of claim 1, wherein the row unit is one of a plurality of row units coupled to the main frame, and wherein each of the row units includes its own associated controller, its own associated moisture sensor, and its own associated actuator, such that each controller only communicates with the moisture sensor and the actuator associated with a single row unit.

16. The seeding machine of claim 1, wherein the row unit is one of a plurality of row units coupled to the main frame, wherein each row unit includes an associated actuator and soil removal device, wherein the moisture sensor is a single moisture sensor, and wherein the position of each soil removal device is identical based on the moisture level detected by the single moisture sensor.

17. A seeding machine comprising:

a controller having a processor configured to;

detect a moisture level of a first layer of soil with a moisture sensor coupled to a row unit on the seeding machine;

determine whether the moisture level is outside of a predetermined range; and

in response to determining that the moisture level is outside of the predetermined range, lower a soil removal device into the soil to remove a layer of the soil, the soil removal device including a stationary or rotating surface that contacts and removes the first layer of soil.

18. The seeding machine of claim 17, wherein the processor is configured to, after lowering the soil removal device, detect that the moisture level has become optimal in the first layer of soil and then raise the soil removal device.

19. The seeding machine of claim 17, wherein the processor is configured to, after lowering the soil removal device, detect that the moisture level is not optimal in both the first and second layers of soil and then lower the soil removal device a second time.

20. A seeding machine comprising:

a main frame;

a row unit coupled to the main frame, and

a seeding adjustment system coupled to the row unit, the seeding adjustment system including;

a soil removal device, the soil removal device selected from a group consisting of a V-wing, a row cleaner, and a disk blade, the soil removal device having a stationary or rotating surface that contacts and moves soil;

a moisture sensor coupled to the row unit and configured to detect a moisture level at one or more layers of soil;

a controller configured to receive a signal from the moisture sensor corresponding to the detected moisture level; and

an actuator configured to change a position of the soil removal device based on the signal received by the controller, the actuator selected from a group consisting of a hydraulic actuator, a pneumatic actuator, and an electronic actuator.