Agricultural Planting System With Automatic Depth Control

• US 20180116098A1
• Filed: 12/28/2017
• Published: 05/03/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dawn Equipment Company
• Original Assignee: Dawn Equipment Company
• Inventors: Bassett, Joseph D.
• Granted Patent: US 10,582,653 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 63/111 regulating working depth of implements
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 63/24 Tools or tool-holders adjustable relatively to the frame
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 5/04 Machines for making or covering holes for sowing or planting
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 5/062 Devices for making drills or furrows
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 5/064 with rotating tools
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/205 comprising pressure regulation means

Abstract

A control system for controlling the depth of an opener device in an agricultural planter comprises a gauge wheel on a pivotably mounted support arm, a mechanical element coupled to the support arm to move in response to changes in the angle of the support arm, a sensor adapted to measure changes in the relative elevations of the opener device and the gauge wheel to produce an output signal representing the current relative elevations of the opener device and the gauge wheel, and a control device receiving the output signal from the sensor and producing a second output signal for maintaining the opener device at a selected elevation relative to the gauge wheel.

Claims

1. A control system for controlling the depth of an opener device in an agricultural planter, said system comprising

a gauge wheel on a pivotably mounted support arm,

a mechanical element coupled to said support arm to move in response to changes in the angle of said support arm,

a sensor adapted to measure changes in the relative elevations of said opener device and said gauge wheel to produce an output signal representing the current relative elevations of said opener device and said gauge wheel, and

a control device receiving said output signal from said sensor and producing a second output signal for maintaining said opener device at a selected elevation relative to said gauge wheel.

2. The control system of claim 1 which includes a moisture sensor producing a signal representing the moisture content of the soil being planted, and said controller is responsive to said moisture-representing signal for producing an output signal representing the desired depth of said opening device.

3. The control system of claim 1 in which said sensor translates the upward force from a pivoting gauge wheel support arm into a fluid pressure in a fluid chamber.

4. The control system of claim 3 in which said fluid pressure is proportional to the gauge wheel load.

5. The control system of claim 3 which includes a pressure transducer coupled to said fluid chamber and producing an output signal that changes in proportion to changes in said fluid pressure in said fluid chamber, said control device receiving said output signal and using that output signal to produce said second output signal.

6. A method of controlling the depth of an opener device in an agricultural planter having a gauge wheel on a pivotably mounted support arm, said method comprising

in response to changes in the angle of said support arm, moving a mechanical element coupled to said support arm

producing a first output signal representing the current relative elevations of said opener device and said gauge wheel, in response to changes in the relative elevations of said opener device and said gauge wheel, and

in response to said first output signal, producing a second output signal for maintaining said opener device at a selected elevation relative to said gauge wheel.

7. The method of claim 6 which includes producing a signal representing the moisture content of the soil being planted, and in response to said moisture-representing signal, producing an output signal representing the desired depth of said opening device.

8. The method of claim 6 in which the upward force from a pivoting gauge wheel support arm is translated into a fluid pressure in a fluid chamber.

9. The method of claim 8 in which said fluid pressure is proportional to the gauge wheel load.

10. The method of claim 8 which includes producing an output signal that changes in proportion to changes in said fluid pressure in said fluid chamber, and using that output signal to produce said second output signal.