Soil shaping system for precision ground engaging implement

• US 7,980,186 B2
• Filed: 05/21/2009
• Issued: 07/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CNH Industrial Canada, Ltd (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Original Assignee: CNH Canada Limited (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Inventors: Henry, Jim
• Primary Examiner(s): Novosad; Christopher J.
• Application Number:
  US12/470,369
• Publication Number:
  US 20100294182A1
• Time in Patent Office: 789 Days
• Field of Search: 111/149, 111/152, 111/157, 111163-169, 111190-196
• US Class Current: 111/152
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/203 comprising depth regulation means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

In an embodiment, an agricultural implement includes a frame configured to couple to a tool bar, a parallel linkage coupled to the frame and a ground engaging tool extending from a shank, where the shank is coupled to the parallel linkage. The agricultural implement also includes a packer wheel configured to control a depth of a valley opened in a soil region by the ground engaging tool and is configured to pack the soil region as the implement is towed through a field and a soil shaping assembly disposed between the ground engaging tool and the packer wheel, wherein the soil shaping assembly is configured to close the valley prior to packing by the packer wheel.

Claims

1. An agricultural implement, comprising:

a frame configured to couple to a tool bar;

a linkage coupled to the frame;

a ground engaging tool extending from a shank, wherein the shank is coupled to the linkage via a shank adapter;

a packer wheel configured to control a depth of the ground engaging tool and a resultant valley opened in the soil by the ground engaging tool, and to pack the soil as the implement is towed through a field;

a hydraulic cylinder extending between the frame and the shank adapter, wherein the hydraulic cylinder is configured to control a downward force of the ground engaging tool, the packer wheel, or a combination thereof; and

a soil shaping assembly disposed between the ground engaging tool and the packer wheel, wherein the soil shaping assembly is configured to close the valley prior to packing by the packer wheel.

2. The implement of claim 1, wherein the soil shaping assembly comprises a disk.

3. The implement of claim 1, wherein the soil shaping assembly comprises a harrow tine.

4. The implement of claim 1, wherein the soil shaping assembly comprises a pair of angled disks.

5. The implement of claim 1, wherein the linkage is a parallel linkage.

6. The implement of claim 1, comprising a seeding mechanism to deposit a seed product in the valley.

7. The implement of claim 1, wherein the ground engaging tool comprises a hoe opener.

8. The implement of claim 1, wherein the soil shaping assembly comprises a biasing mechanism.

9. The implement of claim 1, comprising a packer wheel arm extending between the packer wheel and the linkage.

10. The implement of claim 9, wherein the soil shaping assembly is coupled to the packer wheel arm.