Depth control device for planting implement

• US 6,701,857 B1
• Filed: 01/16/2003
• Issued: 03/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ag Leader Technology Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Chris Nelson, James P. Leclaire, Lynn David Jensen
• Inventors: Nelson, Chris, Jensen, Lynn David, LeClaire, James P
• Primary Examiner(s): Novosad, Christopher J.
• Application Number:
  US10/345,346
• Time in Patent Office: 418 Days
• Field of Search: 111/200, 111/963, 111/900, 111/135, 701/50, 701/200, 701/903, 701/900, 701/135, 172/4, 172/2, 172/413
• US Class Current: 111/200
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 63/32 operated by hydraulic or pneumatic means without automatic control
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/006 Minimum till seeding
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/205 comprising pressure regulation means
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 60/20 Reduction of greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions in agriculture, e.g. CO2
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 111/90 Methods of planting seeds and miscellaneous compositions

Abstract

A method and apparatus for automatically adjusting the down pressure exerted by an actuating device on a seed channel opener of a planting implement in order to maintain the seed channel opener at a predetermined depth. The method and apparatus includes a depth control device which senses the load on the depth control wheel of the planting implement and transmits a sensed load output to an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit includes a micro-controller which receives, monitors and analyzes the sensed load output and compares it to the predetermined depth value. When the micro-controller detects a change between the predetermined depth value and sensed output value, a signal is transmitted to a regulating control valve which adjusts the down pressure exerted by the actuating device on the seed channel opener to maintain the proper cutting depth.

Claims

1. A planting implement which is connectable to a vehicle for towing comprising:

(a) a frame having tires attached thereto for movement along a ground surface;

(b) a ground working implement having a proximal end connected to said frame and a distal end, said ground working implement further comprising;

(i) a seed channel opener having a center axis and affixed to said distal end of said ground working implement, said seed channel opener adapted to be driven into said ground surface to form a seed channel to a first depth;

(ii) a depth control wheel having a center axis, said depth control wheel adapted to be in light contact with said ground surface;

(iii) a support and adjustment mechanism secured between said seed channel opener and said depth control wheel, said support and adjustment mechanism adapted to support said depth control wheel at a relative position to said seed channel opener, and

(iv) a depth adjusting mechanism connected to said support and adjustment mechanism;

(c) an actuating device secured between said frame and said ground working implement, said actuating device adapted to exert and adjust a down pressure on said seed channel opener;

(d) a depth control device adapted to measure the load on said depth control wheel in order to determine a sensed load on said depth control wheel and electronically transmit a sensed load output;

(i) an electronic control unit capable of receiving, monitoring and analyzing the sensed load output transmitted by said depth control device, and

(j) a regulating valve in communication with said electronic control unit and in communication with said actuating device,

wherein, when said electronic control unit determines a change in the sensed load output received by said depth control device, said electronic control unit transmits a signal to said regulating valve which causes said actuating device to adjust the down pressure on said seed channel opener, thereby maintaining said seed channel opener at said first depth.

2. The planting implement in accordance with claim 1, wherein said depth control device for measuring the load on the depth control wheel is a wheatstone bridge circuit arrangement which is connected to said support and adjustment mechanism, said wheatstone bridge circuit arrangement comprising a first pair of strain gauges applied to a first surface of said support and adjustment mechanism and a second pair of strain gauges applied to a second surface of said support and adjustment mechanism, each of said first and second pair of strain gauges having two strain gauges.

3. The planting implement in accordance with claim 2, wherein the two strain gauges in each of said first and second pair of strain gauges are disposed at 90°

relative to each other and said each of said first and second pair of strain gauges is disposed at 45°

from parallel relative to each respective side.

4. The planting implement in accordance with claim 1, wherein the sensed load output is measured by determining the output voltage produced by said depth control device having a wheatstone bridge circuit arrangement.

5. The planting implement in accordance with claim 1, wherein said depth control device for measuring the load on the depth control wheel is in the form of a beam load cell which is connected to said depth adjusting mechanism by means of an adjustable arm.

6. The planting implement in accordance with claim 1, wherein said depth control device for measuring the load on the depth control wheel is in the form of a tension/compression load cell which is connected to said depth adjusting mechanism by means of an adjustable arm.

7. The planting implement in accordance with claim 1, wherein said depth control device for measuring the load on the depth control wheel is in the form of a static hydraulic cylinder in communication with a pressure sensor and connected to said depth adjusting mechanism by means of an adjustable arm.

8. The planting implement in accordance with claim 1, wherein said depth control device for measuring the load on the depth control wheel is in the form of a shear load cell which is connected to said support and adjustment mechanism.

9. The planting implement in accordance with claim 1, wherein said electronic control unit comprises:

(a) a voltage regulator;

(b) an amplifier/signal conditioner/filter, and

(c) a micro-controller.

10. The planting implement in accordance with claim 9, wherein said micro-controller processes the sensed load output transmitted by said depth control device and calculates an output control value from said sensed load output and transmits said output control value to said regulating valve.

11. The planting implement in accordance with claim 10, wherein said output control value is calculated by a control algorithm selected from the group consisting of Stepwise logic, PID logic and fuzzy-tuned PID logic.

12. The planting implement in accordance with claim 1, wherein said actuating device is in the form of a hydraulic cylinder.

13. The planting implement in accordance with claim 1, wherein said actuating device is in the form of a pneumatic cylinder.

14. A method for automatically adjusting the down pressure exerted by an actuating device on a seed channel opener of a planting implement, said planting implement including a seed channel opener adapted to be driven into a ground surface to form a seed channel at a first depth, a depth control wheel, a support and adjustment mechanism having a first end connected to said seed channel opener and a second end connected to said depth control wheel, and a depth adjusting mechanism connected to said support and adjustment mechanism, said method comprising:

(a) connecting a depth control device to said support and adjustment mechanism, said depth control device adapted to measure the load on said depth control wheel in order to determine a sensed load on said depth control wheel and electronically transmit a sensed load output;

(b) providing an electronic control unit mounted to said planting implement, said electronic control unit adapted to receive, monitor and analyze the sensed load output transmitted by said depth control device, and

(c) providing a regulating control valve in communication with said electronic control unit and in communication with said actuating device,

wherein, when said electronic control unit determines a change in the sensed load output received by said depth control device, said electronic control unit transmits a signal to said regulating control valve which causes said actuating device to adjust the down pressure exerted on said seed channel opener, thereby maintaining said seed channel opener at said first depth.

15. The method in accordance with claim 14, wherein said depth control device is in the form of a wheatstone bridge circuit arrangement which is connected to said support and adjustment mechanism.

16. The method in accordance with claim 14, wherein said depth control device for measuring the load on the depth control wheel is in the form of a beam load cell which is connected to said depth adjusting mechanism by means of an adjustable arm.

17. The method in accordance with claim 14, wherein said depth control device for measuring the load on the depth control wheel is in the form of a tension/compression load cell which is connected to said depth adjusting mechanism by means of an adjustable arm.

18. The method in accordance with claim 14, wherein said depth control device for measuring the load on the depth control wheel is in the form of a static hydraulic cylinder in communication with a pressure sensor and connected to said depth adjusting mechanism by means of an adjustable arm.

19. The planting implement in accordance with claim 14, wherein said depth control device for measuring the load on the depth control wheel is in the form of a shear load cell which is connected to said support and adjustment mechanism.

20. The planting implement in accordance with claim 14, wherein said electronic control unit comprises:

(a) a voltage regulator;

(b) an amplifier/signal conditioner/filter, and

(c) a micro-controller.

21. The planting implement in accordance with claim 20, wherein said micro-controller processes the sensed load output transmitted by said depth control device and calculates an output control value from said sensed load output and transmits said output control value to said regulating control valve.

22. The method in accordance with claim 14, wherein said actuating device is in the form of a hydraulic cylinder.

23. The method in accordance with claim 14, wherein said actuating device is in the form of a pneumatic cylinder.