Method and system for regulating the operating depth of towed agricultural machinery, for example tractor-borne plows
First Claim
1. A method for regulating the operating depth of towed agricultural machinery such as tractor-borne plows with a regulating system utilizing the plow-generated pulling force as an auxiliary control variable, comprising:
- determining the rate of variation of the pulling force;
providing limiting values for the rate of variation of the pulling force;
comparing the determined value of the rate of pulling force variation with the limit values; and
controlling the vertical position of the plow in accordance with the comparison between the determined value and the limiting values.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In towed agricultural equipment such as tractor-borne plows, it is often very important to accurately control the operating depth of the towed equipment. Prior systems for doing this have not accurately responded by providing appropriate control necessary for doing this depending on whether the sensed variation results from changes in soil condition or changes in tractor sway. Accordingly, to improve such control, a method and apparatus are provided for determining the rate of variation of the pulling force and providing limiting values for this rate of variation. A comparison between the determined values and the limiting values is made, and the vertical position of the plow is controlled in accordance with the comparison. Acceleration of the pulling force can also be used as a variable for the control. These comparisons serve to establish whether the change in pulling force result from changes in soil condition or tractor sway. Also, the rate of variation and acceleration of plow position can be used to make this determination and, accordingly, control the plow depth.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method for regulating the operating depth of towed agricultural machinery such as tractor-borne plows with a regulating system utilizing the plow-generated pulling force as an auxiliary control variable, comprising:
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determining the rate of variation of the pulling force; providing limiting values for the rate of variation of the pulling force; comparing the determined value of the rate of pulling force variation with the limit values; and controlling the vertical position of the plow in accordance with the comparison between the determined value and the limiting values. - View Dependent Claims (2, 5)
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3. A method for regulating the operating depth of towed agricultural machinery such as tractor-borne plows with a regulating system utilizing the plow-generated pulling force as an auxiliary control variable, comprising:
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determining the rate of variation of the pulling force and the acceleration of said pulling force; providing limiting values for the rate of variation and the acceleration of the pulling force; comparing the determined values of the rate of variation and acceleration of the pulling force with the limit values; and controlling the vertical position of the plow in accordance with the comparison between the determined values and the limiting values. - View Dependent Claims (4)
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6. An apparatus for regulating the operating depth of towed agricultural machinery such as tractor-borne plows utilizing the plow-generated pulling force as an auxiliary control variable, comprising:
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means for determining the rate of variation of the pulling force; means for providing limiting values for the rate of variation of the pulling force; means for comparing the determined values of the rate of variation of the pulling force with the limit values; and means for controlling the vertical position of the plow in accordance with the comparison between the determined value and the limiting values. - View Dependent Claims (7)
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8. An apparatus for regulating the operating depth of towed agricultural machinery such as tractor-borne plows utilizing the plow-generated pulling force as an auxiliary control variable, comprising:
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means for determining the rate of variation of the pulling force and the acceleration of the pulling force; means for providing limiting values for the rate of variation and the acceleration of the pulling force; means for comparing the determined values of the rate of variation and acceleration of the pulling force with the limit values; and means for controlling the vertical position of the plow in accordance with the comparison between the determined values and the limiting values. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for regulating the operating depth of towed agricultural machinery such as a tractor borne plow utilizing the regulating system including means for adjusting a nominal value of the pulling force of the plow in response to the soil resistance with a predetermined delay in response to a change in said soil resistance comprising:
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determining the plow position; determining the rate of variation of the plow position; providing limit values for the rate of variation of the plow position; comparing the determined values of the rate of variation of the plow position with the limit values; and determining whether the means for adjusting a nominal value of the pulling force of the plow is utilized in regulating the operating depth of the plow in accordance with the results of said comparison. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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15. An apparatus for regulating the operating depth of towed agricultural machinery such as a tractor borne plow utilizing the regulating system including means for adjusting a nominal value of the pulling force of the plow in response to the soil resistance with a predetermined delay in response to a change in said soil resistance comprising:
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means for determining the plow position; means for determining the rate of variation of the plow position; means for providing limit values for the rate of variation of the plow position; means for comparing the determined values of the rate of variation of the plow position with the limit values; and means for determining whether the means for adjusting a nominal value of the pulling force of the plow is utilized in regulating the operating depth of the plow in accordance with the results of said comparison. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification